Dindori is one of the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies of Maharashtra, and is located in the Nashik district of the state. Presently, Dindori Lok Sabha constituency, which is reserved for Scheduled Tribes, comprises these six Vidhan Sabha segments: Nandgaon (Shiv Sena), Kalwan (NCP), Chandwad (BJP), Yevla (NCP), Niphad (NCP) and Dindori (NCP). Voting for the Dindori Lok Sabha seat will take place in the fifth phase of General Elections on May 20. The counting of votes will take place on June 4.
2019 Result and 2024 Candidates
The current MP of Dindori is Dr Bharati Pawar of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who had won the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls with 49.88 per cent vote share.
The top candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls in Dindori are Dr Bharati Pawar of the BJP and Bhaskar Bhagare of NCP (Sharad Pawar).
Political Dynamics
BJP Faces Tough Battle
In Dindori, a seat which the BJP has held since the constituency was created in 2008, the saffron party faces its toughest battle yet. In 2019, the party had fielded Dr Bharati Pawar from Dindori, who won by a margin of 1.99 lakh votes. The BJP has fielded Pawar from this constituency once again, and hopes she can retain it comfortably. However, much has changed here since 2019.
For starters, the BJP, which was in alliance with a united Shiv Sena back in 2019, now has the support of the Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar factions. This does not necessarily mean the BJP’s position has strengthened here, given the significant internal tussle the Mahayuti alliance is facing.
The BJP’s biggest challenge emerged when Harishchandra Chavan, its former MP who represented Dindori in the Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014, indicated that he would contest as an Independent. After much hectic parleys on the BJP’s part, Chavan gave up the idea of contesting as an independent. However, the BJP’s joy of having avoided a split in its votes was short-lived, as reports of further disenchantment within the NDA alliance were quick to follow.
Shiv Sena MLA Suhas Kande accused Chhagan Bhujbal, his ally and senior minister in the Maharashtra government, of campaigning for Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) in Dindori. Bhujbal, however, denied the charges and claimed that he was working to ensure the victory of the Mahayuti candidate. Both these leaders are historic rivals, whose enmity became especially pronounced after Bhujbal was appointed as the guardian minister of Nashik by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi government. If these allegations hold any water, and some leaders from the Mahayuti alliance are indeed campaigning for Sharad Pawar’s candidate here, the BJP may be in some trouble.
Apart from the feud between Suhas Kande and Chhagan Bhujbal, the BJP now also has to worry about Narhari Zirwal, an NCP (Ajit Pawar) MLA and deputy speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly. Zirwal has gone off the radar and remains incommunicado at the time of filing this report. He went missing after a picture of him campaigning for Sharad Pawar faction’s candidate went viral on social media. This added further credence to allegations that some leaders of the NDA are actively campaigning on behalf of the opposition candidate in Dindori.
Dr Bharati Pawar has the advantage of being a well-known leader across the constituency. However, the going has been tough for her this election, since the BJP faces considerable disenchantment from the public. The biggest issue here is of farmer distress, and voters are not shy of pinning the blame of the same on the BJP and Modi government. Dindori is the onion capital of India. However, the Centre’s decision to ban the export of onions has hit the onion farmers of the region very hard. As a result of the ban, wholesale prices dropped dramatically and farmers were forced to sell their produce at losses. Though the Centre lifted the ban on exports on May 4, presumably keeping the election here in mind, farmers do not appear to be in a mood to forget what they have lived through over the past several months.
As things stand right now, at least before PM Modi’s campaign here, the BJP seems to be on the backfoot.
Advantage Maha Vikas Aghadi
As part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Sharad Pawar’s faction of the NCP has been given the Dindori seat to contest from. Bhaskar Bhagare, a teacher and a political debutant of sorts has been fielded by Pawar senior to take on the BJP here. Despite not having any major political record, Bhaskar Bhagare is said to have a considerable edge in Dindori.
More than Bhagare’s own credentials, this speaks to the influence which the Maha Vikas Aghadi, especially Sharad Pawar commands in the constituency. Interestingly, in the previous assembly election, the NCP had won four of the six segments under Dindori LS. All these victories came primarily due to the influence of Sharad Pawar in the constituency.
There is a sympathy wave which is being seen here in favour of the Maha Vikas Aghadi, especially the Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar). This is because many voters have come to believe that the BJP orchestrated the splitting of both the Shiv Sena as well as the NCP, in which leaders like Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar were willing participants.
Voters complain that although they voted for the NCP based solely on Sharad Pawar’s reputation here, the Mahayuti parties backstabbed their mandate, since all the NCP MLAs are now in the Ajit Pawar camp. However, some of these MLAs, like Narhari Zirwal have been actively campaigning for Sharad Pawar’s candidate, fuelling speculation that the election results could trigger a reverse exodus from the Ajit Pawar camp.
Some Mahayuti leaders are said to be campaigning for the NCP candidate as they do not want to antagonise their own support base by being seen as campaigners for the saffron party.
The farmers, who form the majority share of voters here, seem unhappy with the BJP. This is because for the past several months, the Modi government’s decision to ban onion exports has caused severe losses for the agrarian community in Dindori. The farmers are frustrated with the losses they have had to bear and the continued indifference of the government to their demands. In many ways, the tussle over onions is set to be the defining feature of the election in Dindori.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi also had to encounter a severe scare in Dindori recently, when veteran farmer and tribal leader Jiva Pandu Gavit of CPI(M), a seven-time MLA from Surgana and Kalvan, filed his nomination as an independent candidate. The BJP was internally jubilant over the prospect of a strong and influential tribal leader splitting the pro-NCP vote in Dindori. However, after deliberations with Sharad Pawar, Jiva Gavit withdrew his nomination. Gavit, who has tremendous influence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Thane, and Palghar, has now thrown his weight behind the MVA.
Key Issues
Onion Export
The ban on onion export has certainly become a big issue in the onion belt of Nashik and Dindori. A number of farmers feel that the ban was against the interests of the farmers and its reversal is a political move played by the Centre to attract votes as the constituencies go to polls on May 20. Lakhs of farmers who were dependent on onion cultivation suffered as the ban went into effect to keep a check on onion prices. There was a major fall in prices which led to economic crises for the farmers. Individual farmers suffered losses up to Rs 30 lakh to Rs 50 lakh which pushed them into crumbling economic debt.
Water Crisis
Nashik has been facing a serious water crisis. The dams have been visibly low, and tankers have become a more common sight. With only 39 per cent of water remaining in the district’s dams, people are worried about having enough drinking water, especially as the hotter months approach. The situation has impacted residents and animals alike, as water sources for both are drying up. Last year at this time, dams were at 60 per cent capacity, so this drop is a concerning sign. Action is needed to prevent the situation from worsening.
Farmer Issues
With recurring unseasonal rain and hailstorm, the farmers are burdened with financial losses. Farmers have also raised concerns that while the government has launched many welfare schemes they only look good on paper as their execution has been dismal at best. The farmers are also under pressure due to the hike of 22 per cent on fertilizers which are also in short supply. The climatic changes have also led to crop losses and a lower remuneration for the available produce due to falling prices. On March 15 last year, 10,000 farmers and adivasis set out on a march to protest against the injustices faced by the farmers. With higher production costs, lower selling costs and high export tariff means that farmers are not able to sell their produce for substantial profit, which exposes them to financial uncertainty.
Employment and Emigration
There are no big industries in the region. Agriculture is the only source of employment, but due to the many issues facing the sector, the youth is hesitant to join in. There is also an issue of mass migration from Dindori in search of better employment opportunities in Surat, Nashik or Mumbai. Migration affects most of the households in the region and people have demanded setting up of major industries to boost the economic development of the region.
Communal Tensions
Communal tensions are not unheard of in Dindori. However, the tensions are of a different nature altogether. In Dindori, the tensions regularly erupt between the Qadianis and the Muslims. Some accuse the Qadianis of trying to exert control, often using matters concerning women and girls as a starting point for conflict. This has led to some troubling incidents, leaving the community on the edge. People have been asking the authorities to get involved and address the underlying reasons behind these clashes. One of the latest incidents was in January this year when 38 individuals involved in the clash were arrested as police took control of the situation. The violence left about ten persons, including some women, injured.
Lack of Development
Infrastructural development is low, and there is a lack of infrastructure to meet the population’s needs. Suburban and expanded areas lack adequate infrastructure. There are no asphalt roads, sewerage drainage, adequate and clean water supply, electricity, health facilities, or public toilets for the poor, among other things. Healthcare and educational infrastructure remains low or absent in many regions of the constituency. People have had to travel to Nashik to get adequate medical treatment.
Maratha Agitation
Despite the fact that Dindori does not fall in the Marathwada region, agitation and disappointment over the government’s delay has also been felt in Dindori. In the Nashik district, 38 villages spread across Nashik, Niphad, Dindori, Nandgaon, Igatpuri and Sinnar talukas have expressed their support. They have now banned the entry of politicians into their villages in support of the Maratha reservation demand. They have announced that politicians will not be allowed to enter their villages till the community is given the reservation benefits. Although the government’s 10 per cent quota concession was a start in the right direction towards resolving community needs, the clamour for inclusion in the OBC category speaks a deeper level of dissatisfaction. Voter dissatisfaction has been exacerbated by the impression that the BJP administration is sluggish in addressing the issue.
Infrastructure Development
Dindori MIDC
Dindori is experiencing a surge in industrial development with the state government establishing new MIDC areas in Talegaon-Akrale. What makes this project unique is the ease of setup for businesses; instead of purchasing land and constructing buildings, they can rent ready-made sheds from the MIDC. This allows companies to quickly install their machinery and commence operations. Plots of one acre or more are available for rent, attracting substantial investment, with Dindori already receiving Rs. 4800 crores in industrial investments.
Railway Infrastructure
Several stations got upgrades like better platforms, new waiting areas, and improved accessibility. They also added amenities like water coolers, digital ticketing systems, and even Wi-Fi. Beyond the stations themselves, the rail lines were electrified, new bridges were built, and the signalling systems were modernized. Plus, they introduced new train routes and extended existing ones to better connect the region.
Road Infrastructure
It was announced in January of this year that Rs. 113 crore will be spent in Dindori to upgrade the existing road infrastructure and improving road connectivity in the region.
Voter Demographics
Total Voters: 1725172
SC: 138,014 (8%)
ST: 622,787 (36.1%)
Geographical Composition
Urban Voters: 193,219 (11.2%)
Rural Voters: 1,531,953 (88.8%)
Religious Composition
Hindu: 94.5%
Muslim: 3.9%
Buddhist: 1.55%
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