Congress party has decided to consolidate its eroded Dalit, Muslim and Kunbi (DMK) vote bank by fielding as many as strong Kunbi, Muslim and Dalit candidates in ensuing Lok Sabha polls.
Out of 48 Lok Sabha seats, the Vidarbha belt has ten seats and all are with BJP. In 2014, Congress party was completely decimated. However, in 2019, the party had fielded the strong Kunbi face like Nana Patole against BJP minister Nitin Gadkari. Besides, Manikrao Thakare in Yavatmal and women face Charulata Tokas in Wardha. While they fielded Muslim candidate Hidayat Patel in Akola, Kishore Gajbaiye, a retired IAS officer and highly educated Dalit face was pitted in Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency. Kunbi population is 35 per cent while Dalits are 27 per cent and 10 per cent Muslim in Vidarbha.
Vijay Jawandia, farmer's leader from Vidarbha said that the upper caste and educated population wants to give another chance to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the rural population mostly farmers are against this incumbent government. Jawandia said, "The voting might happen on the basis of caste of the candidates and his individual good will. This time, Congress party has given more tickets to Kunbi candidates. Therefore, Kunbis are more excited about the elections."
In Chandrapur, there was controversy over allocating the Congress ticket to Vinayak Bangade who belongs to Teli (OBC) community. In Chandrapur, Kunbis are in large numbers so they demanded the candidature to Subhash Dhanorkar. Dhanorkar had left the Shiv Sena and joined the Congress as he was aspiring Lok sabha ticket. But his ticket was denied.
Congress party later fielded Dhanorkar in Chandrapur Lok Sabha seat against BJP minister Hansraj Ahir after the audio clip of Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan expressing his inability to help Dhanorkar starting doing rounds. Nana Patole, Congress nominee in Nagpur is also one of the strong voice of the Kunbi in Congress. Therefore, significant numbers of Kunbis are rallying behind Congress party.
Ashish Deshmukh, Congress leader who elected on BJP ticket and later joined Congress said, "Kunbis are mostly agrarian community and they are feeling cheated. The BJP wants to end the democracy in India and the Indian constitution is in danger. Therefore, all communities and caste and creed need to come together and defeat the communal forces in this Lok Sabha polls."
