Devyani Pharande Faces Tough Challenge From Nashik Central (image:x.com/PharandeDevyani)

Amid reports that sitting BJP MLA Devyani Pharande would be denied the ticket to contest in the Assembly polls, she got the re-nomination from the Nashik Central for the third successive time. She has been winning the seat since 2014.

In the 2014 assembly elections, Pharande won the seat with a margin of 61,548 votes. She defeated Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Vasant (bhau) Nivrutti Gite by a margin of 28,272 votes. In the 2019 polls, she secured victory again by garnering 73,460 seats. She has retained the seat by defeating Congress candidate Hemlata Ninad Patil by a margin of 28,398 votes.

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The saffron party’s strong base in Nashik Central and its well-organised network functioning effectively during elections like to prove advantageous to Pharande, as per reports. However, some of the pressing concerns faced by the constituency include a lack of infrastructure development and a rise in crime poses significant challenge to Pherande. There are also reports that she is encountering “strong anti-incumbency” in the constituency.

“People have seen my work over the past 10 years. I have brought various projects to my constituency in the past decade and have been extremely vocal on issues related to health, women’s safety and education. The party has shown faith in me for the third time for my work,” the Times of India quotes, as Pharande is saying.

The three assembly constituencies—Nashik East, Nashik Central, and Nashik West—in the city have been considered strongholds for the saffron party. Since the 2014 Assembly polls, the BJP has been securing victory in the seats.

However, Pharande is going to face stiff competition from Congress’s Vasant Gite, former Nashik Mayor and former MLA, and his aggressive campaigns. In the 2009 Assembly polls, Gite won the seat by garnering 62,167 votes. Since Gite and Pharande belong to the OBC community and hold significant influence in their own ways, where will the electorates incline is need to be observed. Besides, the Maratha community vote bank, comprising 20% of the vote share, plays a decisive role in the result of the constituency.

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Meanwhile, after being denied an assembly seat, former Congress leader Dr Hemlata Patil has announced the decision to run as an independent candidate. How Patil’s candidature will impede Gite’s votes is another factor to be looked upon. Although MNS has fielded candidates, according to political experts, the electoral battle is going to be between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP.