Congress, BJP hope to improve tally in Vidarbha

Voting in 10 seats was recorded at an average 62.35% compared to 50% in 2009 polls. In Nagpur, which is the second capital of Maharashtra and also houses the RSS heqdquarters, recorded 57.135% voting compared to 43.60% in 2009, Ramtek 62% against 50.49%, Bhandara-Gondia 72% against 71%, Chandrapur 63% against 58.45%, Amravati 65% against 51.85%, Wardha 61% against 54.61%, Buldhana 58.66% against 61.77%, Akola 65% against 49.98%, Gadchiroli-Chimur 65% against 65.21% and Yavatmal-Washim 60-10% against 55.74%.

Union minister for heavy industries Praful Patel, BJP's former national president Nitin Gadkari, Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik, former union ministers Vilas Muttemwar and Anandrao Adsul are among 201 candidates who were in the fray.

Congress and NCP alliance expects to improve their combined tally due to the increase in voters' turnout. During 2009 polls, Congress had won 4 seats while oneby NCP.

Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee spokesman Sachin Sawant ridiculed BJP-Shiv Sena's claim of how Modi wave had swept the entire region. ''On the contrary, voters have not fallen prey to tactics of saffron combine and supported Congress-NCP alliance in Vidarbha,'' he added.

A senior Congress minister, who did not want to be identified, noted that Muslim and Dalit voters came out in large numbers to vote against Modi. “It is not necessary that all the first-time voters must have voted for  BJP or Shiv Sena nominees. Their support for Congress and NCP candidates would be quite crucial for increasing our combined tally,” he said.

However, state BJP president Devendra Fadnavis, who has been elected to the state assembly from Nagpur since 1999 onwards, argued that Thursday’s voting was clearly against the ruling Congress-NCP alliance.

"We will certainly win eight out of 10 seats in Vidarbha. Modi wave has undoubtedly brightened out prospects. On top of it, voters wanted a change and they have supported BJP-Sena combine,''he opined. During 2009 polls, BJP had bagged two seats while three by Shiv Sena.

AAP leader Ajit Sawant, who campaigned in Vidarbha, said that the appreciation and sympathy towards his party cannot be underestimated.  ''However, I am unable to guess whether the sympathy will convert into victory as we fought these elections against the established parties with limited resources,'' he said.