Nagpur: Tracing The Saffron Party's Rise In Congress' Historic Bastion

Ahead of the 18th Lok Sabha polls, Nagpur, Maharashtra바카라�s winter capital and the country바카라�s geographical heart, is set to witness a keen clash between secular democracy and Hindutva ideologies as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc and the BJP, respectively, vie for electoral supremacy.

Despite being synonymous with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Nagpur has been a traditional Congress bastion, even as it also nurtures Ambedkarite politics, embodying India바카라�s diverse political landscape.

Nestled along the Nag River, Nagpur epitomises a planned modern city with smart infrastructure like electric transport and metros. Despite modernisation, traditional ideologies persist, with residents, divided by their political vichardhara (ideology), shaping the city바카라�s social fabric.

Nagpur, a historic Congress stronghold, had seen limited Sangh influence in the days of yore, according to Rajendra Naikwade, an author and a Sangh supporter. The Congress바카라� post-independence dominance deterred even Sangh members from openly displaying their allegiance.

바카라�Congress workers would gather in large numbers and pelt stones at us to foil our attempts to establish Sangh바카라�s shakhas. They would conduct morchas on the streets, single out our houses and attack them. They held an upper hand,바카라� said Naikwade about his childhood years spent near the RSS headquarters in East Nagpur바카라�s Mahal area.

During the Emergency, despite widespread anti-Congress sentiment, Nagpur reposed faith in the Congress. Then Prime Minister the late Indira Gandhi바카라�s crackdown led to the Congress and the Sangh members being jailed together. The RSS, previously apolitical, joined the opposition바카라�s anti-Emergency movement, shifting public perception and softening the opposition toward the Sangh.

바카라�Congressis realised their party did not practice the Gandhian principles it preached politically,바카라� Naikwade said.

In 1980, the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and Janata Party merged to form the BJP. Initially, the BJP had minor wins in Congress-dominated Nagpur. The mid-80s saw the BJP바카라�s rise with the Ram Janmabhoomi movement and LK Advani바카라�s rath yatra, while the Congress weakened due to the Shah Bano fiasco and the Mandal-Kamandal issue, prompting local leaders to join the BJP. Its popularity subsequently surged in Nagpur, almost erasing the Congress바카라� presence. From six corporators in 1972, the BJP secured 66 seats in 1997, maintaining control since. Nagpur has four BJP MLAs and two from the Congress, highlighting the saffron party바카라�s dominance.

BJP workers are confident of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari바카라�s victory over the Congress바카라� Vilas Thakre by around five lakh votes. Thakre, Nagpur바카라�s Congress chief, shares a broad frame and a politically broad-minded friendship with Gadkari. Their modest campaign style avoids personal attacks and poster blitzes. The Congress emphasises Thakre바카라�s accessibility, contrasting Gadkari바카라�s limited availability due to his commitments in Delhi, as an asset. 바카라�There is a difference of a lakh votes between Gadkari and Thakre and he (Thakre) is giving a formidable challenge on the ground to the Union Minister,바카라� the Congress workers said. 바카라�He is a dark horse.바카라�

The Congress, deeply rooted in Nagpur바카라�s psyche, spans communities, according to leader Chotu Bhoir. His shift from the BJP to the Congress is indicative of the OBC바카라�s disillusionment with Sangh leadership바카라�s Brahmin dominance. Despite significant OBC votes, ministerial roles for members of the grouping remain elusive, Bhoir insists, even as the BJP, under Gadkari, claims to strive for inclusivity, countering the Congress바카라� narrative and broadening its appeal in Nagpur and the Vidarbha region.

The Sangh and the BJP seek to court 3.5 lakh Muslim voters, navigating the tension between Hindutva and inclusivity. The Sangh denounces Hindu extremists for tarnishing Hindutva바카라�s image with anti-Muslim rhetoric. 바카라�Like any major organisation, the Sangh has hardliners, moderates and Gandhiwadi Hindutva too. Sangh is trying to work with the Muslims through our Muslim Manch,바카라� a Sangh leader said.

Gadkari바카라�s pivotal role in BJP바카라�s success in Nagpur is evident, but doubts arise over the party바카라�s future in the city amid reports of his sidelining by the BJP바카라�s top brass. BJP workers expect Gadkari바카라�s leadership to bolster the Sangh바카라�s ideology in Nagpur. Ahead of the Sangh바카라�s centenary, the city plans year-long programmes to promote Hindutva and Indian values, signalling a shift towards inclusivity and adaptability.

According to some Sangh workers, who have grown up on Gandhi바카라�s humanitarian principles, unless the BJP is 바카라�Congressified바카라� it cannot retain power for long.

Shweta Desai in Nagpur

This appeared in the print as 'Orange Country'