Vidarbha: stalwarts of Cong-NCP swept away in saffron wave

Union Heavy Industries Minister and senior NCP leader Praful Patel, seven-time Congress MP Vilas Muttemwar and Congress general secretary Mukul Wasnik are among those who have bitten the dust in Vidarbha region of Maharashtra in the Lok Sabha election.
Patel lost in Bhandara to Nana Patole of BJP, Muttemwar to senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari in a high-profile contest in Nagpur, while Wasnik lost to Kripal Tumane of Shiv Sena in Ramtek.
Maharashtra Minister for Social Justice Shivajirao Moghe (Yavatmal) and Cultural Affairs Minister Sanjay Deotale (Chandrapur) were defeated on their Lok Sabha debuts by Bhawna Gawali (Shiv Sena) and Hansraj Ahir (BJP), respectively.

Prakash Ambedkar, the grandson of Dr B R Ambedkar, who declined a ticket by Congress and fought independently from Akola, lost to the sitting MP Sanjay Dhotre (BJP). Ambedkar finished third, behind Dhotre and Hidayat Patel of Congress.
Sagar Meghe, son of sitting Congress MP Datta Meghe, who got the ticket by defeating party colleague Charulata Tokas in 'the primary', lost to Ramdas Tadas of BJP.
Ashok Nete of BJP, who had lost last time, defeated Congress MLA Dr Namdeo Usendi in Gadchiroli.