Rebels make for interesting contests in Gondia

GONDIA: Almost all the main contenders in the district for the assembling elections spent their last day of campaigning engaged in rallies and padyatras. In a change from the usual casualness in approach, all the contenders seemed serious on Sunday, although their followers and activists were full of enthusiasm. The artificial smiles and tension on the faces of the candidates could well indicate close fights.
In Arjuni Morgaon constituency, the fight was considered to be mainly between Congress-NCP alliance nominee Ramlal Raut and BJP-Shiv Sena candidate Rajkumar Badole.However, the sudden momentum gained by rebel Congress candidate Kiran Kamble's campaigning has made the contest interesting. Raut and Badole were not available for comments. They both confined their padyatras to Moregaon and Navegaon dam areas.
In Gondia, there is a close contest between Congress-NCP nominee MLA Gopaldas Agrawal and BJP-Shiv Sena nominee Ramesh Kuthe. The latter said that according to the party's state agenda, control of prices and loan waiver to farmers shall be his priority. On the contrary Agrawal said that he aims to make Gondia No. 1. Both Agrawal and Kuthe led padyatras in Gondia.
In Tirora, the old rivalry between civil aviation minister Praful Patel and veteran BJP leader and general secretary Dr Khushal Bopche had given rise to the chances of a fierce contest. However, that was not to be, and it looks like smooth sailing for Dr Bopche at the end of campaigning. He said that Praful Patel is trying his best but the present anti-incumbency factor, suicides by farmers, price rise and load-shedding are over shadowing all efforts by Patel. Cine actors Shekhar Suman, Alka Kubal and Aftab Shivdasani were in Goregaon and Tirora to campaign for the Congress-NCP nominee Dr Sushilkumar Rahangdale. Dr Bopche was in Tirora while Dr Rahangdale was involved in a with the cine actors on Sunday.
In Amgaon, the fight is between Ramesh Taram of BJP-Shiv Sena alliance and Ramratan Raut of Congress-NCP alliance. Prominent NCP leader of the district and MHADA chairman Naresh Maheshwari holds the key to this election because Raut had rebelled and managed to defeat Maheshwari in the 2004 assembly election. Maheshwari is determined to settle that score in this election. However, Congress observers have arrived in the city on Friday and are trying to pacify Maheshwari. Both the candidates have said that drinking water and education in the backward areas are their priorities. Raut had road show in Amgaon, while Taram conducted a padyatra in Deori on Sunday.