Congress rebel and independent candidate Vishal Patil gets VBA support in triangular fight for Sangli

The over three lakh votes that Prakash Ambedkar’s VBA polled in Sangli ensured Congress’s defeat to BJP in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Vishal also enjoys the tacit support of local Congress workers. (Express photo by Pavan Khengre)

A week to go for the polling day, Congress rebel candidate Vishal Patil has got a shot in the arm as Prakash Ambedkar has supported him in his triangular fight for Maharashtra’s Sangli Lok Sabha seat with sitting BJP MP Sanjaykaka Patil and Chandrahar Patil of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

In the 2019 election in Sangli, Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) bagged over three lakh votes, which ensured the Congress candidate’s defeat to the BJP nominee by 1.64 lakh votes.

The VBA had declared support for Prakash Shendge of the OBC Bahujan Party but has changed its stand in favour of Vishal Patil, an independent candidate. Former Union minister and Congress leader Pratik Patil had met Ambedkar seeking his support for Vishal, who is his younger brother.

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“The VBA is not contesting the seat and instead supporting the Congress rebel contesting as an independent candidate. The AIMIM has already extended support to us,” said a supporter of Vishal Patil.

Vishal also enjoys the tacit support of local Congress workers.

There was a tussle within the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance over Sangli as both the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) wanted to contest the seat. After the Sena (UBT) declared its candidate, the Congress protested.

Vishal Patil is the grandson of former chief minister Vasantdada Patil. He lost the 2019 Lok Sabha election, which he fought as a candidate of the Swabhimani Paksha, the political wing of the farmer’s organisation Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana.

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Ambedkar last week told VBA workers that there was a possibility of an alliance between the party and the Congress in the forthcoming Assembly elections.

Sangli will vote on May 7 in the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

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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