Maval Lok Sabha Constituency has a reputation as a constituency that is exhausting for representatives. This constituency is directly connected from Pune in western Maharashtra to Raigad district in Konkan. Geographical diversity is important in the election of Maval but along with this a beautiful combination of cultural diversity on both sides of the Sahyadri can be seen in this constituency. Maval is characterized by diverse structure like urban, semi-urban, rural and tribal areas.
Such is the history of Maval constituency
The history of this constituency is very recent. After the 2009 Constituency Reorganization, Maval Constituency was created on both sides of the Mumbai-Pune highway. NCP has good influence in Pimpri and Chinchwad of Maval. BJP has also gained dominance in this area by strangling many big fish at the local level, while in Raigad the influence of Farmer Workers Party can also be seen.
Pimpri, Chinchwad and Maval in Pune District; Maval Lok Sabha Constituency includes 6 assembly constituencies namely Panvel, Karjat and Uran in Raigad district. All these six constituencies are currently under the control of Mahayuti. Prashant Thakur in Panvel, Ashwini Jagtap in Chinchwad are BJP MLAs, while Uran independent MLA Mahesh Baldi has supported the BJP. Sunil Shelke in Maval assembly constituency, Anna Bansode in Pimpri is the MLA of Ajit Pawar group of NCP. Karjat Constituency MLA Mahendra Thorve is in Shinde group of Shiv Sena.
In all the three elections held till date, Shiv Sena vs NCP was a double fight. Shiv Sena has maintained dominance in all these three matches.In 2009 Shiv Sena's Gajanan Babar defeated NCP's Azam Pansare and won. In the subsequent 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Srirang Barne managed to retain this constituency with the Shiv Sena.
At this time, independent candidate Laxman Jagtap supported by Shetkari Kamgar Party and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena was in the second position, while Rahul Narvekar, who is currently the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from the Nationalist Congress Party, was in the third position. MLA Laxman Jagtap's fight as an independent candidate in the 2014 elections was significant at that time.
What happened in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections?
Maval remained in the limelight in 2019 as Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son contested from this constituency. At that time there were also discussions about the split in the NCP over the candidature of Partha Pawar. But finally Srirang Barne defeated Partha Pawar and retained this constituency with Shiv Sena.
For this 2019 Lok Sabha election, the issue of 'local vs outsider' was important in Maval. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's son was not preferred as an MP by the voters of Maval. The stand taken by some local leaders of NCP who were upset with the nomination of Partha Pawar was in the interest of Srirang Barne. Shrirang Barne of Shiv Sena became MP for the second time after defeating Partha Pawar by a margin of 2 lakh 5 thousand votes.
What is the current situation in Maval?
Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar's rebellion has brought major changes in Maval. In this constituency, which was fought between Shiv Sena and NCP in 2019, there is a possibility of a fight between Shiv Sena (Shinde group) and Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray. However, it is natural that confusion will arise as to who will be nominated by the Mahayuti. The current MP Srirang Barane is a supporter of Eknath Shinde. No doubt they will be eager to complete the hat-trick of victories.
The hoardings put up on the birthday of former MLA Bala Bhegde of Maval, referring to him as 'future MP', shows that his supporters are insisting that Bhegde should get Maval Lok Sabha candidature, while Ajitdad has his own strength in Maval.There is a possibility that Ajit Pawar's group will have to withdraw if the incumbent MP Barne gets the nomination.
Maval MLA Sunil Shelke has been claiming from time to time that the strength of NCP is big in Maval. He is very insistent that the Ajit Pawar group gets the Maval Lok Sabha seat. So it will be interesting to see who will get the seat of the grand coalition. Even if one group in the Grand Alliance gets the nomination, all the equations depend on how much other groups will support it.
On the other hand, Mahavikas Aghadi has to search for a candidate. There is still confusion among the people about who will be the possible candidate of Mahavikas Aghadi in Maval. At the same time, there are signs that one of the disgruntled members of the Grand Alliance will be imported and nominated by the Maha Vikas Aghaad.
A few days ago, Ajit Pawar's supporter and former NCP city president Sanjog Waghere joined Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena. Which party in the grand alliance will get this seat and who will be the candidate of Mahavikas Aghadi will determine how fierce the fight in this constituency will be.
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