Aher sweeps sugar co-op polls, may quit cabinet

Dr Aher had been obsessed with the cooperative and had made two unsuccessful attempts in the past to bring it under his control. Ten years ago, he could win only three out of the 15 seats and in the last polls held five years ago, only five. He had made it a prestige issue on this occasion, inviting Munde Khadse and Vikhe-Patil to canvass for him. While Munde promised to clear a power project for the region within a month, Khadse assured better irrigation facilities, if Dr Aher were elected.

Shantaramtatya, who is an independent close to the Shiv Sena, was left out in the cold, as none of the local Sena leaders, including Guardian Minister of Nashik and Social Welfare Minister Babanrao Gholap, canvassed for him. Incidentally, Shataramtatya’s son Yogesh had joined the Sena in the presence of Bal Thackeray in Malegaon, on the eve of the polls.

In the BJP camp, however, Dr Aher’s victory is seen as a calculated attempt by the party leadership to clip his wings and perhaps, drop him from the cabinet. BJP’s general secretary, Pramod Mahajan had openly criticised Dr Aher at the party’s meeting held in Solapur recently.

The concerted efforts by Munde and Khadse in the recent polls and the conspicuous absence of Sena leaders in the poll campaign are believed to be a gesture to offer a largesse to Dr Aher in his hometown, before he possibly, vacates his ministerial chair.