Beed: Candidates vouch for developmental issues amid caste divide

The Munde family has been convincingly winning the Lok Sabha election in Beed since 2009.

Party’s national secretary Pankaja Munde lost to Bajrang Sonwane of the Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP).

A fight between a Vanjari (OBC) and a Maratha candidate in Marathwada’s Beed Lok Sabha constituency in the forthcoming general elections is likely to polarise the voters in a district which was the epicentre of violence during the Maratha agitation seeking Kunbi (OBC) status.

The candidates, however, maintain that the contest will not be on caste lines, but on developmental issues.

Ruling BJP has fielded Pankaja Munde, a senior leader and sister of sitting Lok Sabha MP Pritam Munde. Daughter of late Gopinath Munde and sister of state’s Agriculture Minister Dhananjay Munde from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Pankaja comes from a family which is considered as one of the topmost leaders from the Vanjari community.

Opposition Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad Pawar has fielded Bajrang Sonawane, a well-known political figure from Kej Assembly segment in Beed and who, despite being a Maratha leader, is not seen as an isolating figure for other communities. Sonawane had contested the 2019 general elections against Pritam Munde and had polled over five lakh votes.

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After careful deliberations for over a month, Pawar on Thursday announced the name of Sonawane which promises a tough battle in Beed. “No matter how many leaders are on that side, the voters stand with me. For the last 15 years, one party has been winning the Lok Sabha election. What have they done for the development? We will ask this question,” said Sonawane. He said the issue for the youth are not emotional, but of livelihood.

Munde family has been convincingly winning the Lok Sabha election in Beed since 2009. The last time NCP won the Beed Lok Sabha seat was in 2004. Since then late Gopinath Munde won twice in 2009 and in 2014. After his accidental death, Pritam won the bypoll and later in 2019 as well. More than three-and-a-half lakh Vanjari votes in the constituency are said to be the loyal vote bank of Mundes. However, NCP led by Sharad Pawar has brought in powerful Vanjari leader Baban Gite in a bid to split the votes.

Beed district witnessed violence in the wake of Maratha agitation last year. The house of opposition NCP MLA Sandeep Kshirsagar was attacked and also that of ruling NCP Prakash Solankhe. A hotel owned by a worker of OBC leader and Minister Chhagan Bhujbal was torched by the mob. While political parties have claimed that it was an act by anti-social elements, the rift in the communities has not been bridged.

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Out of the six Assembly seats in Beed Lok Sabha constituency, five are with the ruling alliance, of which Parli, Ashti and Majalgaon are with Ajit Pawar-led NCP while Georai and Kaij are with the BJP. Beed is the lone Assembly seat with Sharad Pawar-led NCP. One of drought affected regions of the state, Beed continues to struggle on developmental issues. Once a stronghold of Communist Party of India and later of Congress, Beed witnessed both these parties losing its ground to the BJP led by Gopinath Munde and NCP led by Sharad Pawar.

“This time, the union of Maratha, Muslim, Dalit votes could be a worrying factor for Pankaja Munde. With nearly five-and-a-half lakh Maratha votes and around one-and-a-half lakh Muslim votes, Munde will need to work harder to retain the seat,” said Bhagwat Tawre, a journalist from Beed.

Munde, however, feels that the connection with voters and the work in five years matter. “No matter who the candidate is, every election should be contested seriously. I feel that the election must be contested on the issue of development,” she said.

While Sonawane has been fielded by the NCP (SP), Jyoti Mete — wife of Maratha leader late Vinayak Mete, was also interested in contesting the election and had even joined the Sharad Pawar-led Party. It is now speculated that she might be in touch with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar.

Alok Deshpande

Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read More

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