In the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly elections, Uday Samant, a prominent Shiv Sena candidate and current minister from Ratnagiri, is leading the race against Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Bal Mane. As per the results of the first 12 rounds of counting, Samant has secured over 50,000 votes, leading Mane by around 23,000 votes. This lead, with more than half the rounds of counting completed, shows Samant’s strong position in the race.
Samant, a close aide of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has previously won the seat under the undivided Shiv Sena banner. His opponent, Bal Mane, who once represented the BJP, joined the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faction to contest these elections. Alongside the two main contenders, Bharat Sitaram Pawar from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and five independent candidates are also vying for the seat, adding to the electoral complexity in the region.
Voter Turnout and Political Heat in Ratnagiri
Ratnagiri recorded an impressive 63% voter turnout in the 2024 Assembly elections, signaling a high level of political engagement among the residents. The political temperature in the region has intensified in recent months, particularly after the controversy surrounding the collapse of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue in Malvan, Sindhudurg, on August 26. Opposition parties have seized upon this incident, blaming it on alleged corruption within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, and have called for the alliance to be removed from power.
However, Samant has dismissed these claims, stating that the collapse of the statue would not negatively impact the ruling alliance’s chances. He pointed out that action had already been taken against those responsible for the incident, suggesting that the matter was being handled appropriately.
Key Election Issues in Ratnagiri
Another significant issue in the election has been the proposed refinery project in Ratnagiri. The project has been a point of contention between the BJP-led government and the opposition, particularly the Uddhav Thackeray faction. Under the leadership of former Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the BJP-led government approved the refinery’s location in Nanar, a move that was strongly opposed by local residents and environmentalists.
After Uddhav Thackeray’s government came to power, the project was scrapped and a new site in Barsu was proposed. Thackeray’s party, now in opposition, remains adamantly against the refinery project. In fact, Thackeray recently stated that if the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) returns to power, they would not allow such projects to proceed in the Konkan region.
On the other hand, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has defended the refinery project, stating that it was originally approved by the MVA government but would only proceed with local consent. This ongoing debate around the project has become a major issue in the region’s elections, with voters likely to have their opinions swayed by these differing viewpoints.
