In a surprise move, the four-time Lok Sabha member and Union Minister of State for Home, Hansraj Ahir was set to taste defeat in his fifth attempt along with Anandrao Aadsul from Amravati Lok Sabha constituency. Ahir was trailing behind of new comer Suresh Dhanorkar of the Congress in Chandrapur while party stalwart the Union Minister for transport, Nitin Gadkari was leading over 1,10,000 votes in Nagpur Lok Sabha constituency.
Reacting to the results, Gadkari said that the outcome has vindicated the welfare measures adopted by the Narendra Modi government. “The over whelming victory of the BJP across the country was the results of skilful leadership of Modi and the party president Amit Shah,” he said.
He said that the languages used during the campaigning were in very bad taste, particularly ‘Chowkidaar Chor Hai” and said that now everyone should forgive all such things and work together for the development of the country.
Answering a question, he said that “water” would be one of the priorities of the government in coming days.
Though the BJP and Shiv Sena bounced back in almost all the Lok Sabha seats across the state, it failed to retain two seats in Vidarbha, out of 10 Lok Sabha seats– Chandrapur (BJP) and Amravati, where the Ahir is trailing behind its rival Dhanorkar while the Independent candidate, supported by the Congress and NCP, Navneet Rana won the seat with over 44,700 votes from Amravati.
The Congress suffered a major setback in Yavatmal-Washim constituency when its former state chief, Manikrao Thakre was defeated by the sitting MP Sena nominee, Bhavna Gawli. Gawli is retaining the seat since 2009.
In Buldhana, the Sena nominee, Prakash Jadhav, who has been representing the constituency since 2009, again retained the seat by defeating his nearest NCP rival, Rajendra Shingane with margin of over 1,37,000 votes. Shingane had lost in 2009 also.
In neighbouring Wardha constituency, Ramdas Tadas, retained the seat. Here he defeated Charulata Rao Tokas of Congress over 79,000 votes. Charulata is the daughter of then Rajasthan Governor and senior Congress leader Prabha Rau.
BJP nominee, Sunil Mendhe wrested the Bhandara-Gondia seat from the NCP, defeating Nana Panchbudhe of NCP with huge margins of 1,24,417 votes. In by-elections, held last year, Madhukar Kukde wrested the seat from the BJP during a by-poll.
In Akola, the three-term Lok Sabha member, Sanjay Dhotre was leading with over 2.50-lakh against the nearest rival, Prakash Ambedkar of Bahujan Vanchit Aghadi. The Congress nominee, Hidayat Patel was struggling at number three in the constituency.
The most surprise win for the BJP was in Gadchiroli where its candidate, Ashok Nete retained the seat by defeating his Congress rival, Dr Namdeo Usendi with over 69,000 votes.
In Ramtek too, the Congress nominee, a retired IAS officer Kishore Gajbhiye was trailing ahead of his rival, Shiv Sena sitting MP Krupal Tumane with over 20,000 votes. Tumane is likely to retain the seat.
