BJP flags waved at Priyanka Gandhi in Nagpur, she responds with a smile

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra showcased composure and confidence during her roadshow in Nagpur, Maharashtra, ahead of the November 20 Assembly elections. As her rally moved through BJP-dominated constituencies, a group of BJP supporters waved party flags and raised slogans from atop a building. Priyanka Gandhi responded with a smile, wished them luck for the polls, and confidently asserted that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance would secure victory.

Nagpur, home to the RSS headquarters and a BJP stronghold, has long been a key battleground for Maharashtra politics. Four out of its six Assembly segments are held by the BJP, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has represented the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat since 2014. Despite this, Priyanka’s roadshow, passing through Nagpur West and Nagpur Central, drew significant crowds and enthusiastic Congress supporters.

Addressing the BJP flag-waving crowd, Priyanka Gandhi remarked, "Friends in the BJP, wish you all the best for the election. But it is the Maha Vikas Aghadi that will win." Her statement received loud cheers from the rally participants, further energizing the Congress cadre.

Nagpur Central, represented by the BJP since 2009, is a key focus for the Congress, with candidate Bunty Shelke aiming to wrest the seat from the ruling party. Post-roadshow, tensions flared briefly between Shelke’s supporters and BJP workers but were quickly contained by the police.

Maharashtra’s electoral landscape has undergone significant changes since the 2019 Assembly elections when the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance claimed 161 of 288 seats. After their split over the Chief Ministership, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena joined forces with the Congress and NCP, forming the MVA government. However, the coalition collapsed in 2022 following Eknath Shinde’s rebellion. The Shiv Sena and NCP are now split into rival factions, adding to the high stakes of this election.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections earlier this year, the MVA made significant gains, winning 30 of Maharashtra’s 48 seats, while the BJP-led Mahayuti coalition secured only 17. With this Assembly election, both blocs are vying for dominance, making it a prestige contest for the future of Maharashtra politics.