Vibes Of Vidarbha, Dispatch 5: The Strongman Politics Of Western Vidarbha

In Bhandara, I met Mahesh Meshram, a farmer from Pauni, who shared his contentment with recent government schemes. Meshram grows rice, wheat, urad dal and soybeans. Pauni is on the banks of Wainganga, a tributary to the Godavari. Irrigation infrastructure, a usual pain point in Vidharbha, is adequate here.

He benefits from the Krishi Samman Nidhi (doubled by the state government). His wife has started receiving Rs 1500 per month under the "Ladaki Bahin" scheme. A new hospital with modern facilities has been inaugurated. He praised the improvements in road infrastructure and healthcare, saying Bhandara feels “taken care of.” 

However, he expressed frustration with the moral fickleness of Maharashtra’s political scene, where party-hopping among leaders is common. This inconsistency, he lamented, has eroded faith in politicians’ principles. Yet, there is little deep-seated casteism in this constituency; people focus on rewarding those who contribute to local development, irrespective of party labels.

Pauni falls under the Bhandara Gondia Lok Sabha constituency. Bhandara has historically oscillated between BJP and Congress in parliamentary elections, represented by figures like Praful Patel and Nana Patole. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Prashant Padole from Congress won by a margin of 40,000 votes, beating the then-incumbent from BJP, Sunil Mendhe.

Pauni falls within the Bhandara Vidhan Sabha constituency(SC reserved constituency). In 2019, independent candidate Narendra Bhondekar emerged victorious. Bhondekar is contesting the upcoming elections as a SHS faction candidate and is widely expected to secure a win. Though the Congress has a solid footing here, Bhondekar’s popularity highlights how local engagement and development can tip the scales in a voter’s mind.

Brahmapuri, Chandrapur District

In Brahmapuri, Chandrapur district, infrastructure tells the story.

Under the leadership of Vijay Wadettiwar, a senior Congress politician and Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly, roads, water supply, and power have seen significant improvements. A new 100-bed government hospital has come up. 

“The people here respect hard work and proven results,” said Ganesh Karad, a local hotel owner, who I met in a chai shop. Vijay Wadettiwar, who originally belonged to the Shiv Sena, has served as MLA under the Congress banner since his wins in 2014 and 2019. 

Wadettiwar has transformed this constituency into a stronghold, investing heavily in various types of urban infrastructure. Though only 10 per cent of voters live in urban pockets, developing a nodal area seems to satisfy them. Additionally, he has established several educational institutions, including colleges.

The Wainganga River flows nearby. Brahmapuri is a rare area where rice is harvested twice annually due to both monsoonal rains and irrigation from the Wainganga Dam, which supplies water to Bhandara and Gadchiroli districts. The final-mile irrigation facilities to farms are still "under construction". Historically, this has been a challenge for farmers here.

Freebies are distributed quite liberally, and the people are content with this. Ganesh is anti-doles. He believes it's better to focus on public goods and offer financial assistance.

Ganesh adds, "The Maratha agitation doesn’t have a significant impact here. The majority are Kunbi Marathas, who were mostly agriculturalists, not warriors. Law and order have also improved, making people appreciate the cost associated with it."

When I ask people if this is a Congress stronghold, given that both the MLA and MP are from Congress, they emphasise that party affiliation is less important here. The community generally supports those who work for the region, having previously voted for both Shiv Sena and BJP." Atul Deshkarfrom BJP represented Brahmapuri from 2004 to 2014, and Vijay Wadettiwar has held the seat since then.

I’m frequently asked whether I am a surveyor. It seems a few people conducting surveys have been doing the rounds. I wonder how we all end up in the same chai shop! 

Brahmapuri falls under Chandrapur district and is part of the Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituency. Namdeo Kirsanfrom Congress recently defeated BJP’s Ashok Nete by 1.5 lakh votes to win the seat. 

The largest population group is OBC Marathas (Kunbis), followed by the Scheduled Caste community. They coexist peacefully, with no conflicts. The significant Dalit representation (14 per cent) aids Congress’s standing. The tribal population is at 18 per cent.

In this election, BJP is playing the “Kunbi card,” fielding Krishnalal Sahare against Vijay Wadettiwar. BJP has fielded Kunbi candidates in two neighbouring constituencies, namely Rajura and Varora. 

In the last few weeks, Congress has been dealing with internal strife: Pratibha Dhanorkar, a newly elected MP from Chandrapur, urged attendees to back a Kunbi candidate, which Wadettiwar, who is from the Teli community, viewed as a challenge to his leadership. 

PM Modi, in a recent rally in neighbouring Chimur, launched a scathing attack on the Congress, labelling them as "brashtachar ka sabse bada khiladi."

Takeaways 

The "local strongman" is a feature that repeats in Maharashtra. A local leader lavishes attention on an urban area in his constituency, takes credit for all central and state government schemes and makes the constituency his bastion. With this as a political heft, he gives himself the opportunity to switch parties and engage in ‘realpolitik.’ Exhibit A is Wadettiwar.

Politics in Maharashtra has seen a whirlwind of events, including various agitations, which has left people feeling fatigued and perhaps apathetic. As a result, many have shifted towards practical, transactional politics. Constituency-level dynamics vary greatly, and only in-depth local journalism can truly capture them.

There's a perception in these parts that Maharashtra's politics revolves mainly around Mumbai and Pune. They believe that regardless of who gets chosen locally, decisions will be influenced by the interests of people in western Maharashtra.

Infrastructure improvements like better roads are appreciated, but they are seen as basic responsibilities of governance, not some ‘chamatkar.’ Toll fees for these roads remain a sore point, as locals feel the government is profiting from essential services.

When I remarked about the surfeit of liquor shops, my driver threw in his earthly wisdom. He asked whether I knew that the funds for the Ladki Bahin Yojana came from increased liquor taxes.

 In a dhaba on the road to Chandrapur, I met a group of truck drivers from Dindigul, Tamil Nadu. Their journey across state lines highlighted the vast mobility within India's informal labour sector. It was pleasant to have a conversation in Tamil in the middle of Vidarbha.