Sreejaya Ashok Chavan And Her Political Debut From Bhokar (Image: instagram.com/sreejayaachavan/)

For a long time, Sreejaya Chavan’s name is presented as the political heir of former chief minister and Congress turncoat Ashok Chavan. Ending a long 38-year association with the Congress, Chavan joined the BJP in February, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Chavan said the decision to join the saffron party was “difficult” but took the decision “in the interest of Maharashtra, the interest of my district and the interest of the nation.”

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Since the BJP nominated Chavan in the Rajya Sabha, his home turf Bhokar assembly constituency in Nanded district was left vacant. Now, with the electoral debut of Sreejaya from Bhoker, a third generation member from Chavan family is entering politics. Besides, with Chavan’s daughter, the BJP hopes to maintain the stronghold Chavan held in the area and thereby secure saffron party’s first win from Bhoker. Sreejaya holds LLB and LLM.

Bhokar is traditionally a Chavan’s family constituency. Before Asok, his father Shankarrao Chavan won from this seat.  In the 2019 election, Asok Chavan secured 1,40,559 votes from the assembly segment. Chavan then belonged to Congress has defeated BJP candidate Shrinivas Alias Bapusaheb Deshmukh Gorthekar by a margin of 9,7445 votes. In the 2014 polls, Chavan’s wife Ameeta Chavan won the seat on a Congress ticket. She has defeated Kinhalkar Dr Madhavrao Bhujangrao by a margin of 47557 votes. In the 2009 polls, Chavan secured the seat by a garnering a whooping margin of 1,20,849 votes.

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Mostly the Congress occupied the seat, and this election will reflect whether Chavan’s shifting of political loyalties topple former’s chances in the region.

The 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20. The ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state consists  of the BJP, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar).