Bawankule, Datke, Wadettiwar and Patole cannot vote in Nagpur graduates' poll for lack of a degree

With the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election drawing near, political activity over voter registration has picked up. The BJP and the Congress are making different claims about registration. Yet several prominent leaders of the same two parties are themselves not voters in this election.

The reason is that they do not have the educational qualification required to become a voter in a graduates' constituency. The list includes BJP election in-charge and Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule and election chief Praveen Datke. From the Congress, Vijay Wadettiwar and Nana Patole are also on it.

These leaders will handle election strategy and campaigning for their respective candidates, but will not have the right to vote themselves. To get one's name enrolled as a voter in a graduates' constituency, at least a graduate's degree is required.

A graduate in any subject can register as a voter. But 14 MLAs and 2 MPs from the Nagpur region do not meet the prescribed qualification. Ten of the 14 MLAs are from the BJP. One MP each from the BJP and the Congress is also on the list.

There is no mandatory educational qualification to contest or vote in general elections. Any eligible citizen can stand for election. The graduates' constituency is different, because one must be a graduate to become a voter here. The purpose of this constituency is to give graduates and the educated class representation on issues concerning them in the Legislative Council.

The leaders' educational qualifications are as follows. Krishna Khopde (BJP): Class 7; Charan Singh Thakur (BJP): Class 12; Mohan Mate (BJP): ITI. Praveen Datke (BJP): first-year diploma; Chandrashekhar Bawankule (BJP): first-year BSc; Vijay Wadettiwar (Congress): Class 10. Kishor Jorgewar (BJP): Class 10; Raju Karemore (NCP): Class 12; Nana Patole (Congress): second-year BA.

Vinod Agrawal (BJP): Class 12; Sanjay Puram (BJP): Class 12; Dharmarao Baba Atram (NCP): Class 10; Sameer Kunawar (BJP): Class 12; and Rajesh Bakane (BJP): first-year BA. Rajya Sabha member Maya Ivnate studied up to Class 5, while Lok Sabha member Shyamkumar Barve studied up to second-year BA.

Meanwhile, the BJP's efforts to persuade its rebel candidate in the same election, Prof. Anil Sole, to withdraw his nomination have so far failed. Senior party leaders also tried to reach him but could not make contact. Thursday is the last day for withdrawal of nominations, which has heightened the BJP's concern.

Anil Sole has entered the fray in revolt against the BJP's official candidate, Sudhakar Kohle. It is being said that his contest could hurt the party's official candidate. For this reason the party continues to try to persuade Sole.