Manasa/ Neemuch (Madhya Pradesh): The pitch of debate on winner from Manasa assembly seat is rising with every passing day in Neemuch. The BJP has fielded sitting MLA Anirudh Madhav Maroo (62) against veteran Congress leader Narendra Nahta (77).
Both are engineer by profession. Nahta’s moment of glory came in 1985 elections, when he defeated BJP stalwart and former CM Sundarlal Patwa. Nahta later became a cabinet minister, a post that he occupied for 10 years in Digvijaya Singh government.
Once regarded as a BJP stronghold, Manasa assembly seat has of late turned into ‘seat of experiment’ for both parties. Its voters have continued to sway between the BJP and the Congress. This dynamics of swaying voters has ensured that neither the BJP nor the Congress are able to hold it for long-term.
This tug-of-war has kept the electorate engaged and led to fierce debates and discussions on the winner before every election. Till date, Congress has fielded outsiders five times and the BJP three times from this seat. The BJP has somehow managed to retain the seat for the last two elections and is eying a hat-trick of victory in 2023.
The Congress is too keen to reclaim the seat and has fielded one of its senior-most leaders in Nahta. In 2018 elections, Maroo had won the election by a huge margin by defeating Umrao Singh Gurjar of Congress by 25,954 votes. This was BJP's second consecutive victory on this seat after Kailash Chawla had defeated Vijendra Singh of Congress by about 14,000 votes in 2013.
Socio-economic scenario
Neemuch district is bordering Rajasthan. A large number of voters from Dhangar Gayari, Gurjar and Banjara communities live in the Manasa area. The number of Gurjar and Dhangar Gayari voters in this area is said to be more than 28 thousand. Besides, Banjara community voters also play an important role.
Voters Scenario (In 2023)
Total voters: 1,99,929
Male: 1,01,483
Female: 98,445
Third gender: 01
Voting scenario (In 2018)
Voting per cent: 84.86
Anirudha Maroo (BJP) : 87,004 (56.64%)
Umrao Singh Shivlal (Cong) : 61,050 (39.74%)
Victory margin : 25,954 (16.9%) -*
ISSUES AT GALORE
CORRUPTION: Being one of the major opium harvesting areas, the main issue of the Manasa Assembly is corruption. Allegations of corruption have been made here from tehsil level to all the police stations. Voters here claimed that the hearing of the common people is not done without money and the common people are very upset about this and they do not have anyone to give a solution to it.
POOR HEALTH FACILITIES: The second issue is the lack of health facilities. Hospitals have been built, but in the name of treatment facilities, the patients are being referred to other places due to the non-availability of doctors and nursing staff here. Besides, the oxygen plant set up during the corona period lying defunct due to lack of maintenance.
Candidates Take on Issues
When Free Press contacted sitting MLA and BJP candidate, Anirudh Madhav Maroo and asked about the development work of Manasa, he said that during his tenure, development work worth Rs 4000 crores has been done. In future, more emphasis will be placed on infrastructure development to make Manasa self-reliant.
On the education front, I want to develop Manasa as an education hub to generate more skilled talent who can get employment easily. In the matter of corruption, I have always been telling everyone that if there is corruption anywhere, then inform him about it and will handle this in a legal way and if someone demands money, then call him immediately for that.
In many cases, the public voluntarily gives money even for their legal work, then in that case what do we have to do? On the other hand, Narendra Nahata of Congress said that building infrastructure, hospitals, and roads do not come in the category of development works.
Development is called when you run it in a good manner and create basic facilities in it. You have built hospitals, but there are no doctors in any hospital. Patients are referred to other places or sometimes other states as well. What could be more of an inconvenience for us than this?
I will always stand with the people on all their issues. I will always be ready to fight wherever I have to solve their problems.
Internal rift became concern for decisive factor
Opposition to Anirudh Maroo has started in BJP here in the Manasa assembly of Neemuch district. Many senior leaders are holding meetings with party workers. The leaders’ alleged corruption and goon activities prevalent in the Manasa area for the last five years, yet the party made this person, who has no manners, a candidate.
The BJP leaders expressed their disappointment and concern over the selection process, questioning why a candidate with such a background was chosen to represent the party.
They emphasised the need for a thorough investigation into the allegations of corruption and goon activities to restore the party's reputation in the Manasa assembly. On Thursday, many senior leaders gathered at Kukdeshwar tehsil and expressed their protest against Maroo. They demanded party to change the candidate.
With inputs from Pankaj Malik
