Will 'Outsider' Tag Impact Satish Chavan's Electoral Prospects In Gangapur? (image:facebook.com/mlcsatishchavan)

Gangapur, Maharashtra: Ahead of the Assembly polls, three of Ajit Pawar’s legislators, including Satish Chavan, have returned to the NCP, led by Sharad Pawar. Prior to this, Chavan received suspension from NCP (Ajit Pawar) for six years, denoting his anti-party activities.

This move came when Chavan issued a public statement attacking the Mahayuti government for its alleged failure to resolve reservation issues impacting different communities in the state, including Marathas, OBCs, and Muslims. “The Mahayuti government has failed to resolve the reservation issue of the Maratha community,” The Indian Express quotes as he is saying.

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The suspension came at a time when Chavan was proposing to contest from Gangapur constituency. A three-time graduate constituency MLC from the Marathwada region, Chavan’s plan to field either as an independent candidate or NCP (SCP) has not received well with the Ajit Pawar faction. Meanwhile, the NCP (SCP) office-bearers from the Aurangabad district did not like the party giving a nomination to Chavan. They criticised the party for supporting an external candidate.

The Gangapur assembly segment is located in the Aurangabad district. It has been represented by BJP MLA Prashant Bansilal Bamb since 2009. He is considered a trusted ally of Devendra Fadnavis. In the 2019 elections, he defeated NCP candidate Santosh Annasaheb Patil by a margin of 34,971 votes. In the previous 2014 polls, Bamb secured a victory with 55,483 votes, and Shiv Sena candidate Eknath Danve Ambadas garnered 38,205 votes.

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Both Bamb and Chavan are being viewed as strong contenders for the assembly seat. They both maintain strong grassroots connections as well as hold among their extensive party network of workers. While anti-incumbency raises an issue for Bamb, discontent within the party and alliance will pose a huge challenge to Chavan.

The 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will go to polls on November 20 and counting of votes will take place on November 23. The Assembly elections mark first one in the state after Shiv Sena and  NCP split in 2022, and 2023 respectively.