Brahmin community from Kothrud raise questions
Mumbai: Maharashtra state unit chief of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chandrakant Patil is facing stiff opposition from the Brahmin population from Kothrud in Pune district after his name was declared as party candidate from the constituency. The BJP has denied party ticket to outgoing legislator Medha Kulkarni for Patil, a strong Maratha face of the BJP. Brahmin community leaders from Kothrud are questioning as to why Chandrakantdada did not chose to contest from any Maratha dominated constituencies in Western Maharashtra and instead chose a Brahmin dominated safe constituency.
Meanwhile, the Brahmin communities in Pune are circulating messages on social media platforms against Patil. Though Medha Kulkarni has refused to raise the banner of revolt against party decision, it will depend upon voters who will play the role on October, 21.
Sources argued that the BJP top brass has deliberately taken the decision to field a Maratha candidate from a predominantly Brahmin community dominated assembly constituency. The ploy serves many purposes, it not only sends a strong political message to the Maratha community in Western Maharashtra stronghold of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The move is aimed at winning over the Maratha community in the NCP stronghold with the underlying emphasis on Maratha community reservation decision. Secondly, the move is being seen as an attempt to bridge the gap of hatred and mutual animosity between the two communities.
The News21 spoke with some Brahmin leaders from Pune, Aurangabad and with Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leaders from Thane. According to RSS leader who did not want to be named, said, first of all, RSS has no connection with the candidature of Dada Patil and it was the sole decision of BJP. “RSS never intervenes in political decisions. It was BJP who took decision to field Chandrakant Patil from Kothrud,” said the RSS insider.
Medha Kulkarni was upset with party decision. It was said that she was not invited to the party gathering called in Kothrud on Wednesday. Kulkarni confirmed that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) state president Jayant Patil and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray had invited her to contest from their party. However, she dismissed their invitation and said she will work for BJP only.
Responding on this development, the RSS insider said that it is injustice with Medha Kulkarni. He said that Medha worked hard for the party. “Due to her attachment with voters, party’s Girish Bapat obtained highest vote margin in Kothrud in Lok Sabha polls. If so, what was her fault that party dropped her name from the list? The BJP should give the answer,” the RSS leader argued.
The leader added that the BJP government led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has fulfilled long pending demand of reservation by the Maratha community. “In this situation, Dada has to select any constituency from Maratha dominated Kolhapur, Sangli or Satara. The party has greeted two Raje – Udayanraje Bhosale and Shivendra Raje in the party. Won’t they help Dada Patil to win the assembly poll? Or the BJP don’t trust on Maratha community?” said the RSS leader.
Mahesh Kulkarni, a senior journalist from Aurangabad expressed a different opinion. He said, “CM Fadnavis has sidelined leaders who were competitors for the chief ministerial post or who were a risk to his post.” While endorsing rudeness is essential in politics and Fadnavis should behave rudely with party internal opponent to keep his throne stable, Kulkarni pointed names of Eknath Khadse, Pankaja Munde and Vinod Tawde who were thrown away from the mainstream.
Kulkarni claimed the election for Patil would not be manageable in Kothrud. “Brahmin voters are hardcore patrons of BJP. Either they select to vote BJP or will chose to remain neutral. In Kothrud, it may possible, half of the voters would choose not to vote to Maratha contender, ” claimed Kulkarni.
Meanwhile, in her address to the party cadres, Medha Kulkarni made it clear that she would not raise a banner of revolt against the party and would remain its loyal party worker.
