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If out of the 230,000 voters in the constituency, over 40% are Dalits then they need to be heard. Well, at least during election time.

There is fierce competition among the Congress, BJP and RPI for their attention and the threat of a split in the Dalit vote seems real.

Besides, Pramod Shirwalkar won the 1999 election by 42,000 votes.

But Nikhalje is unfazed. "I expect votes from Dalits, poor backward communities and also from some Sindhi, Marathi, Marwari and Gujarati residents."

Also Read: The Rising Son

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