Lok Sabha elections 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate brings torch to Osmanabad’s farmers

Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Omprakash Rajenimbalkar at Hingangaon village in Osmanabad’s Paranda tehsil on Friday. Pic/Nimesh Dave

The imposition of the goods and service tax (GST) on agricultural products, unpredictable selling prices and work done by his party during the pandemic are key issues that Sena (UBT) candidate Omprakash Rajenimbalkar is raising to take on his Mahayuti counterpart in this constituency.

Rajenimbalkar, one of the five Maharashtra Lok Sabha MPs who are with Uddhav Thackeray, is contesting his second general election from Osmanabad. He has been visiting villages in the Osmanabad constituency to inform farmers about how the GST is causing them to suffer financial losses.

"When the price of agricultural produce increases, the government starts importing to keep the price under control. This is your [farmers'] loss. The price of soya beans had reached Rs 11,000 per quintal. Then the government started importing soya cakes and the price crashed from Rs 4,200 to Rs 4,500. In this, you [farmers] lost one to one and a half lakh rupees behind five acres," he said.

On Friday, Rajenimbalkar visited Hingangaon village in Paranda tehsil.

"During the pandemic, I was available over the phone. Was any leader of the Opposition available this way? The work done by the state government at the time [Maha Vikas Aghadi] was remarkable. It benefited one and all," he said.

Carrying the torch

Candidates of the Sena (UBT) who are contesting elections with the flaming torch or mashaal symbol, have been facing challenges.

"We are promoting the new symbol so that there is no confusion among voters," Rajenimbalkar told mid-day. He was travelling in a car decorated with flaming torches.

While the MP was addressing villagers, at least one party worker held up the symbol to give it visibility. Party workers have also been going door-to-door to spread awareness about it.

"Our candidate's election ticket was fixed, so we started working from the moment we got the new symbol," said a party functionary.

Sunita Kore, who runs a tea shop on the outskirts of Osmanabad, said, "We are impressed with the work done by Thackeray done during the pandemic. We are impressed with the work Rajenimbalkar has done in the past five years. We are aware of the new symbol of the party."

Villagers of Hingangaon said farmers had been suffering due to the low price of agricultural products and the high cost of farming. "I don't disclose for whom I will vote, but the problems we face definitely factor in our decision," a villager said.

Number crunching

There are 20.04 lakh voters in the Osmanabad constituency of which 10.58 lakh are male and 9.46 lakh are women. Marathas account for 35 to 37 per cent of the electorate while 22 per cent are Muslims, 27 to 28 per cent are OBCs and 12 to 15 per cent are Dalits.

20,04,000
No. of voters in Osmanabad constituency