Going head-to-head with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, former Nagpur Mayor and Congress candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Vikas Thakre banks on his deep ties with the local community and the party’s longstanding presence in the region, challenging the perception of a one-sided contest.
He pointed out historical trends of unexpected outcomes in political battles, citing the instances where even leaders like Indira Gandhi and Atal Bihari Vajpayee faced electoral setbacks, suggesting that Mr. Gadkari’s ‘overconfidence’ could play against him.
In an interview with The Hindu, the 57-year-old said that since independence, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured the Nagpur seat only thrice, each time through evident communal polarisation. “In 1996, Banwarilal Purohit secured the seat, and directly in 2014 and 2019, Mr. Gadkari won the election by the ‘Modi Wave’ nationwide. The BJP used figures like Anna Hazare and yoga guru Ramdev Baba to discredit the Congress during those times. Division in votes has led to losses for Congress. However, this time, there is a collective awareness among voters that this election is about defending democracy. This will prevent any division of votes, strengthening our position,” Mr. Thakre said. He also counters the claims of Mr. Gadkari of winning the election by a five-lakh-vote margin by pointing to his party’s strong voter base and past successes on 13 occasions.
