Nagpur graduates' seat: Congress holds rally with drums, BJP files nomination in simple style

Several candidates filed nomination papers for the Nagpur division graduates' constituency of the Legislative Council. They included Abhijit Wanjari of the Congress, Sudhakar Kohale of the BJP, BJP rebels Anil Sole and Adv. Raman Senad, and Nilesh Karale, a rebel from the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar). Each made a show of strength in their own way.

The Congress and some other candidates took out rallies and had drums played. Keeping in view the distress among farmers because of drought in the state, the BJP filed its nomination in a simple manner. Leaders and workers of different parties crowded the divisional commissioner's office premises.

Candidates of the major parties had announced in advance that they would file nominations on Monday. The administration had made the necessary arrangements, and tight police security was deployed across the premises. The candidates submitted their papers before Divisional Commissioner and returning officer Vijayalakshmi Bidari.

The BJP had made elaborate preparations for the nomination of Sudhakar Kohale, the candidate of the BJP and the Mahayuti. A rally was to start from Swagat Lawn in Civil Lines, and drums had been arranged. However, guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule directed that the nomination be filed simply, in view of the drought.

Minister of State Ashish Jaiswal and Pankaj Bhoyar, state vice-president Upendra Kothekar, city president Dayashankar Tiwari, MLAs Praveen Datke and Vishnu Changde, and a large number of workers had gathered with Bawankule. Even so, only select leaders went to the divisional commissioner's office for the nomination.

Party leaders and workers began gathering at Swagat Lawn from 9 am. Bawankule arrived at the venue at about 12.30 pm and asked for the drums to be stopped as soon as he came. He appealed to people to donate between Rs 100 and Rs 1,000 to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund.

The rally of Abhijit Wanjari, the candidate of the Congress and the Maha Vikas Aghadi, started from the GPO area residence of NCP leader Anil Deshmukh. The Congress also showed unity through the rally. Prominent office-bearers and former corporators took part, including state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal, former state president Nana Patole, Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Vijay Wadettiwar, MLA Vikas Thakre, former ministers Sunil Kedar, Rajendra Mulak and Ranjit Kamble, MLA Sanjay Meshram, former MLA Ashok Dhawad and NCP city president Duneshwar Pethe.

Wanjari filed his nomination at 12 noon. His election campaign was then launched at Jawahar Vidyarthi Griha.

Anil Sole and Adv. Raman Senad, both BJP rebels, and Nilesh Karale, a rebel from the NCP (Sharad Pawar) faction, arrived to file nominations within 10 to 15 minutes of each other. As soon as Sole arrived, workers filled the premises with loud slogans. Senad too had a large number of supporters with him.

Karale took out a rally from Samvidhan Chowk. He arrived wearing a turban. A worker dressed as Mahatma Gandhi and a large number of women workers accompanied him.