“How can a daughter of this soil be termed an outsider? Isn’t it an insult of your daughters as well,” asked Rajashri Patil to the crowd gathered in the Asegaon village temple hall. The candidate of Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena from Yavatmal-Washim Lok Sabha constituency is facing opposition criticism of being an outsider who has been “imported” at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
After being parachuted here since her husband and incumbent MP Hemant Patil’s candidature was cancelled from neighbouring Hingoli Lok Sabha seat, allegedly after a survey undertaken by the BJP, Patil faces the tough task of overcoming caste equations, tackling discontent from former MP Bhavana Gawli and winning a seat that is infamous for farmer suicides.
“My maternal home is in Yavatmal. How can anyone call me an outsider just because I am married outside the district,” she told The Indian Express. Her emotional pitch in the public rally was directed at the women and senior citizens who had gathered in large numbers.
A successful businesswoman, who runs a multistate Godavari Urban Credit Co-op Society, Patil accepts that she was not prepared as her name was announced a day before the final date of filing nominations. “The other side has an advantage of starting early, but I have the support of my family and party,” she said.
She is pitted against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Deshmukh who does not mince words while declaring this election as the one against an “outsider”. “They are not only outsiders. But they (Hemant and Rajashri Patil) were rejected first and since Ekanth Shinde had no option, they were brought in. Why will the people accept them,” he said.
Yavatmal-Washim LS constituency, which will go to polls on April 26, covers part of two districts in western Vidarbha, namely Yavatmal and Washim. The sitting five-term LS MP Bhavana Gawli of Shinde-led Sena was vehemently opposed by the BJP over her ongoing ED cases and behaviour with BJP MLA late Rajendra Patni. She had earlier refused to be a part of the campaign but after repeated pursuasion from minister Uday Samant, she agreed to campaign for Patil.
In September 2023, it was reported that over 43 farmers died by suicide in a single month of August in Yavatmal district alone. In a battle of “outsider” versus “insider”, the issue is missing from the discourse. Both the candidates claim that if voted to win, they will work to sort the menace of farmer suicides but when asked to elaborate, ask to wait till the result day.
“Do you think farmers care about what candidates say? The failure to give MSP, fall in prices, GST on farm-related goods and above all, total neglect towards these issues is forming the rural electorate’s mind. And I think, this sentiment has nothing to do with Yavatmal or Maharashtra, but it is national,” said Kishore Tiwari, a well-known farmer activist and former chief of Vasantrao Naik Shetkari Swawalamban Samiti, formed to work on reducing farmer suicides in Maharashtra.
On paper, the constituency is one of the easiest for the ruling alliance as all six MLAs belong to their side. “The changed caste equation, sympathy for Uddhav Thackeray and silent anti-government sentiment within the farmer community has changed the mood of this constituency,” said Arvind Ulemale, a resident of Washim district.
Out of around 21 lakh voters, around five lakh belong to Kunbi-Maratha and Maratha caste while 3.25 to 3.75 belong to Banjara community. The seat also has over 2.75 lakh tribals and equal SC community with 2.5 lakh Muslims and equal number of OBCs. While Patil is likely to win votes from Hendre Maratha category, Gawali’s Ghatole Maratha and non-OBC Maratha are likely to move to Thackeray’s Sena. Despite Banjara leaders like minister Sanjay Rathod of Shinde Sena and Indranil Naik from Yavatmal campaigning for ruling side, a section on Banjaras led by Sunil Maharaj has joined hands with Thackeray.
According to Shankar Wankhede, who is a Congress supporter, Muslim and Dalit vote is shifting towards Uddhav’s Sena while the BJP’s traditional OBC and general caste votes stand intact.
“More than a caste factor, a general sentiment of injustice is spreading within the farmer community and that is affecting the ruling side the most,” said Akshay Ambhore, a young professional from the constituency.
Deshmukh has been asking people to show a single project that was kick-started in the past 10 years and extended jobs to local people. “Only 34 kilometres of railway line upto Yavatmal from Nanded was built in 10 years. What’s the use of six MLAs? This election is now between the ruling side and people,” the opposition candidate claimed.
She is pitted against Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Deshmukh who does not mince words while declaring this election as the one against an “outsider”. (Express Photo) 
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