Maratha Andolan: OBC voters dominate the Ghansavangi assembly seat of Maharashtra and they can play the most important role in the victory or defeat of a candidate in this election. This constituency also includes the Antarwali Sarati area, which has been the center of the Maratha reservation movement led by Manoj Jarange.

How much impact did the reservation movement have in Marathwada?

Ghansawangi is part of the Jalna district and is in the Marathwada region. The impact of the reservation movement in Marathwada led to the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the Lok Sabha elections and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) won seven out of eight Lok Sabha seats.

Who is fighting for the Ghansavangi assembly seat?

The seat has been represented by Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader and former minister Rajesh Tope since 2009. He is pitted against Hikmat Udhan of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the November 20 election. Tope won the 2019 election by a narrow margin of 1,600 votes. Tope said that none of the issues in the constituency are new to him.

This time there may be a division of Maratha votes.

Rajesh Tope said, 'I have worked for every section. I have not spoken to Jarange. I just keep doing my work. There is a favorable atmosphere for the Maha Vikas Aghadi. Ghanaswangi assembly seat Senior television journalist Ravi Munde said the presence of rebels, Satish Ghadge (who was with the BJP) and Shivajirao Chothe (who was with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT) could lead to division of Maratha votes.

Munde said, "Other Backward Class (OBC) votes will be crucial in the Ghanasavangi constituency. Decisions taken by Jarange regarding the election will also be a factor. Other communities are angry with Tope for helping the Maratha reservation movement."