Dhananjay Munde: Pankaja Munde brought PM because she is scared

Dhananjay Munde on the campaign trail in Parli. Pics/Atul Kamble

With less than a week left for polling, Parli Assembly constituency challenger Dhananjay Munde is making full use of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit last Thursday. The NCP candidate is fully using the PM's visit to his advantage.

The spin he is giving Modi's rally is this: My cousin Pankaja is so scared of losing against me that she had to bring the PM to campaign for her. "The two-time MLA has done no work despite being a cabinet minister and so she is going to lose," Dhananjay, the leader of the opposition in the legislative council, told mid-day. "She is so frightened that she got the PM to campaign for her."

Dhananjay Munde

He could be accused of exaggeration, but only a little. Beed, which has been the late Gopinath Munde's bastion for decades, does seem like it is witnessing a close battle between the cousins. And it's become a prestige battle. Even BJP president came to Beed to campaign for Pankaja. There is also a numerical reason for NCP to be buoyant. In 2014, Pankaj beat Dhananjay by 25,895 votes. The Congress, which fought separately, polled 14,946 votes.

With Congress-NCP together this time, the fight for Pankaja has become tougher. Local BJP leaders, however, said Congress-NCP was unable to take a lead in any of the six assembly segments of Beed Lok Sabha constituency in the recent general elections. Pankaja's brother Pritam's landslide win makes them confident of Pankaja's prospects. But there is no denying that there is an underlying sense of ennui when locals discuss Pankaja.

Seems dismissive of cousin Pankaja

The bad condition of roads, water scarcity, and farm distress are key issues in the constituency and there are murmurs on ground that Dhananjay could turn things around. That the NCP controls the local municipal corporation in Parli, with a majority of 28 out of 32 seats, helps. The party also controls the two bazaar samitis in Parli and Ambejogai.

"Getting Modiji to campaign in Parli is enough for anyone to understand that Pankajatai is not sure of winning," said Anil Kayande, a local resident. "She has done nothing for the constituency and the bad condition of roads is a classic example for the same." But BJP workers turn the question on its head. "If Pankajatai has not done any work, as alleged by the opposition, do you think the PM would have come to Parli to address a rally?" asked one.

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