Nashik: In 2011, Dhule was incorporated into the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC), bringing hope of industrial development over around 6,000 hectares of land near the city, alongside logistical and textile hubs. However, almost 14 years down the line, many voters here seem to feel shortchanged, repeatedly manifesting this discontent in political tumult. Some residents feel that back-to-back legislators of the Dhule City assembly constituency from different parties have failed to bring development to this segment of North Maharashtra.
Ineffective leadership and lack of vision by political outfits for the city and district have been cited as reasons behind the failure to capitalise on the passage of crucial national highways through the city — both the Mumbai-Agra and Surat-Kolkata corridors. Further, Dhule possess sufficient water resources to sustain agriculture and prospective industries, but the seat remains neglected despite tall promises made in elections over the years, residents told TOI. Today, on the cusp of another assembly poll, BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT) and AIMIM are battling it out to garner a win, but the entry of candidate Irshad Jahagirdar through the Samajwadi Party (SP) has intensified the tussle.
In the 2019 assembly election, when archrivals Anil Gote (then in Loksangram Party) and Rajwardhan Kadambande (independent) were pitted against each other, AIMIM candidate Shah Faruk Anwar prevailed and secured the seat. But some voters said despite entrusting t.