Nashik: After a decade of the BJP at the helm of Nashik East assembly constituency, the party's sitting MLA Rahul Dhikle faces a challenge to retain the seat this time round. Interestingly, the contest comes from within the ranks. On Nov 20, after a five-year stint as MLA, Dhikle faces off against BJP dissident Ganesh Gite, who is contesting on an NCP (SCP) ticket in the upcoming state election.
Gite was former standing committee chairman of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) for two consecutive years during the five-year BJP rule up to March 2022. He was keen to contest the Nashik East assembly seat on BJP's ticket, but being denied the chance by the party, recently joined NCP (SCP) to throw his hat in the ring. Now, NCP (SCP) has propped Gite as its official candidate.
The segment includes areas of Panchavati and parts of Nashik Road division under NMC. It carries significance as the Kumbh Mela is held every 12 years in Panchavati. Lakhs of sadhus and devotees take a holy dip in Ramkund on the Godavari river in this region during the religious mega event.
As per data, the seat has 45% Maratha and 22% OBC voters; the rest are from other communities. Propelled by the ‘Modi wave' in 2014, BJP won the constituency and repeated the victory in 2019. In the first of these, BJP's Balasaheb Sanap bagged the win in the 2014 assembly election.
However, in the next contest in 2019, Sanap was denied the ticket, and it was given to Dhikle. At the time, Sanap rebelled and joined the the.