Setback for BJP in Madha: Mohite-Patil set to join NCP (SP)

Wanted to contest from seat but BJP fielded sitting MP Ranjeetsinh Naik Nimbalkar

Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil (Photo: X@DrmpMohite)

In a setback to BJP in Madha Lok Sabha constituency, party leader Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil is set to join NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar in the next few days and is likely to be its candidate for the seat against sitting BJP MP Ranjeetsinh Naik Nimbalkar. Dhairyasheel is the nephew of former deputy chief minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil and cousin of BJP legislator Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil.

“Dhairyasheel Mohite-Patil met me today. He will join the NCP (SP) in the next few days. The function of his joining the party will be held in Madha constituency in the presence of state NCP (SP) chief Jayant Patil,” said Sharad Pawar on Thursday.

On whether Mohite-Patil will be the NCP (SP) candidate for Madha, Pawar said the contribution of the leader to the party or his standing in public is considered by the party before deciding on the candidature. “Those who are joining the NCP (SP) are not coming to us with any expectations,” he said, while not ruling out Mohite-Patil as the party candidate in Madha.

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Pawar had earlier offered the candidature for Madha to RSP chief Mahadev Jankar, who had approached the veteran leader after being “ignored” by NDA, of which he was part for the last 10 years. However, NDA overnight managed to prevail over him to change his decision and in return offered him to contest the Parbhani seat from Ajit Pawar-led NCP quota in the seat-sharing arrangement. Jankar is a leader of the Dhangar community, which has a strong presence in Madha, Baramati, Solapur and Satara Lok Sabha constituencies.

At the same time, there was unrest over BJP fielding sitting MP Ranjeetsinh Naik-Nimbalkar. NCP leader Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar had opposed the candidature to the sitting BJP MP while saying that his party should not be held responsible in case NDA loses the seat. Dhairyasheel was seeking candidature from BJP and after being denied the ticket was exploring other ways to contest the seat for which he had been preparing a year ago.

BJP led by its leader Girish Mahajan tried to pacify Mohite-Patil and conveyed his views to the party leadership but the party stuck to sitting BJP MP for contesting the seat. Mohite-Patil has clout in neighbouring Solapur and Satara constituencies, so his entry in NCP (SP) is expected to help MVA in other constituencies.

The Madha constituency was formed in 2009 after delimitation and Sharad Pawar was the first Lok Sabha member elected from Madha in 2009 followed by his party leader Vijaysinh Mohite- Patil in 2014. However, BJP won the seat in 2019.

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On Thursday, NCP (SP) inducted former BJP leader Atul Deshmukh of Khed-Alandi Assembly segment in Shirur Lok Sabha constituency.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

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