- Before 2008, there was political conflict between Congress and BJP
- With the entry of BSP, there was a triangular contest for one and a half decade
- Congress has won the seat eight times, BJP four times
Balaghat
In the Katangi Assembly of the district, till 2008, the main contest was between BJP and Congress, but with the entry of Bahujan Samaj Party in the 2008 elections, the contest has turned into a triangular struggle.
Although BSP could never win the elections from here, due to its candidates the contest between Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress definitely becomes tough. In the upcoming elections too, many contenders from BSP are preparing to try their luck in the political field. Amidst the election winds, the eyes of political analysts are fixed on the former MP of the district and former MLA of Khairlanji, Bodh Singh Bhagat. He resigned from BJP in 2019 and contested the last Lok Sabha elections but despite better performance, he had to face defeat. Right now he is not in any party and now intends to contest the assembly elections. According to the information received from the area, he is going to join Congress soon. Meanwhile, other contenders have expressed their opposition to Bodh Singh’s entry into Congress. It is reported that more than a dozen leaders of Katangi have met former Chief Minister Kamal Nath and informed him about their feelings.
It is significant that BJP had named Bodh Singh Bhagat as its possible candidate, he had also started his public relations, but the BJP members of Katangi created a hurdle by raising the issue of the local candidate. Due to this, BJP put a condition before him of taking membership first and giving ticket later, which Bodh Singh did not like. It is discussed that after the secret meeting of Congress leader and former Assembly Deputy Speaker Hina Kanvre and Sanjay Singh Uike with Bodh Singh, he joined the Congress.
Tomlal Sahare, the current MLA from Katangi Assembly seat, is the MLA for the third time after winning in 1993, 1998 and 2018. He was the Medical Minister in the Digvijay government of Congress in 1998. There has been an electoral battle between Congress and BJP in Katangi Assembly, in the elections held between 1951 and 2018, Congress has won 8 times, BJP 4 times, Janata Party 1 time, Independents 2 times. Whereas in 2008, the contest was triangular with the entry of Uday Singh Pancheshwar Guruji (BSP).
Caste equations remain effective
If we look at the previous election results, MLAs have been elected in this seat on the basis of caste equations. Pawar community has a big vote bank here whose number is 55,000. After this, there are 27,000 tribal, 26,000 Mahar, 19,000 Marar Mali voters, 25,000 others, Katiya, Lohia, Kohri, Teli, Lodhi community voters, Muslim and Sikh community voters.
Take a look here too…
Current Congress MLA Tamlal Sahare has refused to contest elections on this seat and is putting forward his son in his place, while District Panchayat members Mrs. Keshar Bisen and Prashant Meshram are also trying.
Vikram Deshmukh, Sagar Bisen, Narendra Bhairam, son of the former MLA of the area from BJP, are also continuously active.
