Akola: A fierce triangular fight is being witnessed in Akola where Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar’s grandson Prakash Ambedkar is taking on Anup Dhotre of BJP and Dr Abhay Patil of the Congress, both first-time contestants.
A lawyer by profession, Ambedkar, the founder of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), who is playing the role of Third Front, is a veteran of Akola politics - having contested the seat several times and winning twice in 1998 for Republican Party of India (RPI) and in 1999 for Bharipa Bahujan Mahasangh (BBM). Ambedkar had also served one term in Rajya Sabha.
The BJP fielded Anup Dhotre, the son of four-time sitting MP Sanjay Dhotre, who is not keeping well.
The Congress pitted Dr Patil, who is known for his social work in the Akola and neighbouring areas.
A master of Dalit-Ambedkarite politics, Ambedkar is giving a tough challenge to Dr Patil and Dhotre.
In Akola, the BJP commands three Vidhan Sabha seats - Akot (Prakash Bharsakle), Akola East (Randhir Savarkar) and Murtizapur-SC (Harish Pimple).
Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) controls one seat of Balapur (Nitin Tale) while Congress has one seat, Risod (Amit Zanak).
The Akola West seat is vacant as three-time BJP MLA Govardhan Sharma passed away last year.
“The Congress has given a new face in the form of Dr Patil, and we are getting good response,” said Dr Sudhir Dhone, a senior Congress leader.
Ambedkar said that he was very confident that he would get more than six lakh votes from Akola this time. “I am not new here and then people know me,” he said, adding that the traditional Muslim votes of Congress would come to him.
In the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP swept on account of the Narendra Modi-wave and the Congress fielding a Muslim candidate, Hidayatulla Patel, polarised the votes.
Ambedkar lost both the times; however, he is confident this time.
Since Ambedkar has extended support to Congress candidates Vikas Thakre in Nagpur and Shrimant Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj in Kolhapur, he was expecting the grand old party’s support in Akola. However, that has not happened.
Dr Patil of Congress, however, faces criticism because of his Sangh-background. Dr Patil, the general secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, is an orthopedic surgeon by profession.
On dynasty politics, Dhotre points out that BJP never promotes family politics. “I was selected by the party on the basis of merit, and I have been working in Akola,” he said.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks