Among the most watched Lok Sabha poll fights in Maharashtra, will be Kolhapur and Satara constituencies, where members of two royal families have thrown their hats in the ring. Though their royal tag is not under threat in anyway, their prestige is certainly at stake on the poll battlefield.
While Shahu Maharaj has never contested an election before, Udayanraje has been elected thrice as MP. He had, however, lost in 2019 by-elections to Shriniwas Patil of the undivided NCP. Earlier, in the same year, he had won on NCP ticket but resigned and had then contested on a BJP ticket, only to lose.
On Tuesday, Shahu Maharaj filed his nomination papers amidst a show of strength by Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP). Workers of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by Prakash Ambedkar were also present. The VBA has extended support to Shahu Maharaj.
And on the same day, the BJP announced the candidature of Udayanraje Bhosale after keeping him on hold for a long time. The NCP, which was given the seat during Mahayuti seat-sharing, wanted Udayanraje to contest on its ticket, but he refused. Ultimately, the seat went to BJP.
As both Udayanraje and Shahu Maharaj strictly follow the ideology of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — of supporting all communities, on the poll turf they will have to hold brief for their respective parties. One is wedded to secularism, other swears by Hindutva.
While Shahu Maharaj has no problem highlighting his secular credentials — the Congress motto — during his campaigning, Udayanraje will have to push BJP’s Hindutva agenda now that he has been officially declared as BJP candidate, say political observers.
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His associates said though Udayanraje will be articulating BJP’s plans and policies but he won’t push hard the party’s ideology. “Udayanraje might be in BJP, but I know he follows only one per cent of party’s ideology. He is an out and out secular person in the true tradition of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj,” said Shrimant Kokate, popular Marathi author and a close associate.
Kokate said both the royal families have kept the great tradition of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj going for centuries and there is no chance they would ever deviate, not even for poll sake.
“Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj never discriminated between his subjects who belonged to different castes and creed. He backed, supported and carried everyone together. Similarly, his descendants both in Kolhapur and Satara seats have lived up to the Shivaji Maharaj’s ideology, in letter and spirit,” said Kokate.
In fact, Shahu Maharaj makes it plain on his part that he is in the election ring to stop attempts to divide the people of the country. “The current rulers are trying to divide people…they are trying to polarise the people…We can’t allow our democracy and our Constitution to be threatened in this manner. And that is why I have joined the poll battle,” he told The Indian Express last week.
Udayanraje, who fought hard to get nomination from Satara seat has every reason to breathe easy. Shriniwas Patil, who defeated him in 2019, is out of the race citing health reasons. The NCP led by Sharad Pawar has fielded Shashikant Shinde, an MLC. Though no pushover, Shinde has never contested Lok Sabha polls before and his party has only one MLA in the constituency.
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In Satara Lok Sabha constituency, there are six assembly seats. The BJP-led Mahayuti has maximum four MLAs while Maha Vikas Aghadi has two MLAs. MLA strength-wise Udayanraje is better placed than his MVA rival Shashikant Shinde.
Shivendraraje Bhosale (BJP), Shambhuraj Desai (Shiv Sena), Makrand Patil (NCP) and Mahesh Shinde (Shiv Sena) are all from Mahayuti. Prithviraj Chavan of Congress and Balasaheb Patil of NCP (SP) are from MVA. The undivided NCP has been winning the Satara seat since 1999.
The 2019 Satara Lok Sabha election drew national attention after NCP chief Sharad Pawar drenched in pouring rain still delivered his speech with the crowd cheering him on. The video went viral and struck an emotional chord with voters in Satara, resulting in the defeat of Udayanraje, say his associates.
Though he is a Rajya Sabha member and still has five years left, Udayanraje is contesting to avenge his humiliation in the 2019 elections, says his aide Milind Gaikwad. “Last time, the Maharaj lost by a fluke…This time, he is set to create history,” he added.
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In Kolhapur, there are six assembly seats. Of these, the Congress has MLAs in three, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has two and one belongs to Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
The Shiv Sena has fielded sitting MP Sanjay Mandlik, whose father Sadhashivrao Mandlik had won the seat three times in the past.
Mandlik stirred a controversy last week. He questioned whether Shahu Maharaj was the real heir of the royal family. He said he wanted Shahu Maharaj to prove he was the direct descendant and not an adopted member of the royal family. The royal family has said such remarks does not warrant any reply. “Only people will give befitting reply to such remarks,” said Congress leader Satej Patil, while demanding apology from Mandlik for insulting the royal family.
Patil says the remarks have hurt the people of Kolhapur who will turn out in big numbers to vote for Shahu Maharaj. “The royal family of Kolhapur has lived up to their long tradition of supporting different communities, castes and religions. And this is what appeals to the masses here in Kolhapur,” he said.
