BIGWIGS BAT FOR CANDIDATES IN VIDARBHA

NAGPUR: Last-minute accusations were the order of the day as campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections came to a close in the Vidarbha region on Monday.

All major political parties held rallies in almost all 62 constituencies in the region, in their last-ditch effort to woo voters. However, candidates refrained from conducting rallies in some areas of Maoist-prone Gadchiroli district, because of the ultra-left’s threat of an election boycott.

It looked like the BJP had an advantage, with the issue of statehood for Vidarbha dominating the speeches given by the saffron party’s leaders. Union minister Nitin Gadkari,statebjpchief Devendra Fadnavis, Chhattisgarh chief minister Dr Raman Singh, and Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan batted for the BJP candidates. Meanwhile, film actors like Raj Babbar and Nagma wrapped up the poll campaign for the Congress. Gadkari, who began his campaign from Katol on Monday morning, ended it at the historic Golibar Chowk. Chouhan campaigned for BJP candidates at Paratwada, Warud, Daryapur and Dharni areas in the Amravati district, which borders Madhya Pradesh. Singh campaigned in Gondia district, which borders Chhattisgarh. Several politicians also held road shows on Monday. BJP MP and Bhojpuri film actor Manoj Tiwari participated in road shows at Shankar Nagar, Hingna-t point and Golibar Chowk in Nagpur.

Narendra Modi, along with a dozen of his cabinet colleagues including Sushma Swaraj, Ram Vilas Paswan, Smriti Irani and Venkaiah Naidu, campaigned for the saffron party candidates in the region. Meanwhile, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, pitched in for the Congress candidates in the region, harping on Modi’s “false” promises.”