As someone who is perceived as an ‘outsider’ to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the odds seemed heavily stacked against the incumbent MP, Navneet Kaur Rana, in Maharashtra’s communally hypersensitive Amravati. In a rare instance, her BJP candidacy was announced before her formal induction into the party, sparking strong resentment among local BJP leaders, leaders of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and independent MLA Bacchu Kadu.
Even many of her long-time supporters feel disillusioned or betrayed by her choice, potentially leading to a loss of crucial grassroots support who backed her as an independent in the 2019 election.
“There is evident discontent with the BJP’s local cadre, who are uncomfortable with an outsider being parachuted without the typical grassroot integration. All these years, those who worked against her in the constituency are now being forced to support her,” a senior BJP leader told The Hindu.
