BJP fields Sudhakar Kohle in Nagpur graduates' poll; Anil Sole to contest as independent

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has ended speculation over its candidate for the Nagpur division graduates' constituency election by fielding former MLA and senior leader Sudhakar Kohle. The decision has brought a new twist: former MLC Anil Sole, denied the BJP ticket, has decided to contest as an independent.

On Sunday, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis formally handed the BJP candidature to Kohle at Ramgiri. MLCs Dr Parinay Fuke and Dr Rajiv Potdar, Mayor Neeta Thakre, former MLC Sagar Meghe, MLA Sameer Meghe, former MLA Vikas Kumbhare and Balya Borkar, leader of the ruling party in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, were among those present.

On Monday, Kohle filed his nomination papers at the divisional commissioner's office. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, senior BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar, Minister of State Dr Pankaj Bhoyar and Advocate Ashish Jaiswal, MLC Kripal Tumane, former MP Ajay Sancheti and Rajya Sabha member Maya Ivnate were also present at the filing.

Congress candidate and sitting MLC Advocate Abhijit Wanjari also filed his nomination on Monday. Wanjari is seeking a second term. In the 2020 election he defeated the BJP's Sandip Joshi.

Sole's entry as an independent has considerably changed the arithmetic of the contest. Given his political experience and support base among graduate voters, his candidature is expected to make the BJP-Congress contest multi-cornered and tighter.

Advocate Raman Senad of the Lok Jagruti Morcha is also in the fray as an independent and was due to file his nomination on Monday. Senad describes himself as a highly educated candidate. He claims to have been in touch with voters across all six districts of the region for several years and to have built a grassroots network.

The decision on Kohle came after several days of speculation. Kohle, Sole and a few other names were reportedly under consideration, while Senad had also shown interest in the BJP candidature. The delay was also discussed because Congress had announced Wanjari's name much earlier, and he had begun preparing to campaign.

The BJP will therefore watch Sole's rebellion closely. His staying in the field despite being denied the party ticket could split votes, and the BJP may have to rework its campaign strategy across the constituency.

The election schedule is also set. The notification for the biennial election to five seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council was issued on September 29. Nominations can be filed until October 6, scrutiny will take place on October 7, and the last date for withdrawal is October 9.

Along with the Nagpur division graduates' constituency, voting will also be held in the Aurangabad and Pune graduates' and the Amravati and Pune teachers' constituencies on October 23, from 8 am to 4 pm. Votes will be counted on October 27.

The Nagpur division graduates' constituency covers six districts: Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli. The final electoral roll is expected to have more than 2.4 lakh voters.

Kohle is in the fray under the BJP flag, Wanjari is defending the Congress seat and Sole is contesting as an independent. The election in this graduates' constituency, spanning six districts of Vidarbha, thus appears set to be a test of party machinery, personal equations and voter mobilisation.