Shinde exults after Sonia’s bash

Shinde, contesting a Lok Sabha election for the first time, has virtually put to stake his political career extending two-decades during which he held important portfolios in the State cabinet, headed the party State unit, and represented the country at the United Nations on more than one occasion. His Rajya Sabha term was due to expire in June 1998.

But at the moment he faces anuphill task as the BJP, spearheaded by Valyal, is going from strength to strength in this constituency, once a Congress bastion. The polling is scheduled for February 22.

“Sonia Gandhi’s rally has boosted our morale,” Shinde exults. The party organisation had sustained a series of political reverses since the BJP-Shiv Sena came to power in the State. The saffron alliance had made major inroads into this constituency with the BJP winning two Assembly segments and Sena one during the Assembly elections in 1995.

In wake of recent unity efforts within the Congress and poll alliance with Republican Party of India and Samajwadi Party in the State, the party organisation in Solapur appears to be on the road to recovery.

But recently the balance once again titled in favour of the saffron rulers after milk co-operative baron Pratapsingh Mohite-Patil, brother of former Congress minister Vijaysingh Mohite-Patil, crossed over to the BJP.

To add to Shinde’s woes, the Janata Dal fielded Bharati, wife of RaviPatil, sitting MLA from Indi constituency in neighbouring Karnataka. Ravi Patil himself is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Bijapur.

Bahujan Samaj Party’s Chandrakant Ingle, who is in the fray, is expected to eat into the Congress vote bank, according to Valyal. But the BJP too has its own share of problems. Valyal sidelined Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh nominee Kishore Deshpande and instead threw his weight behind Maratha candidate Subhash Deshmukh at the recently held elections to the State Council.

The Shiv Sena local leadership, upset with Valyal, dashed off a letter to Bal Thackeray on February 9, refusing to participate in the campaign till their chief sorted out matters with his BJP counterparts.

In 1996, Valyal had wrested the seat with a small margin of 17,097 votes from Congress’ sitting MP Dharmanna Sadul. Ravi Patil, who was the JD candidate, had polled 1,66,988 votes and was placed second, ahead of Sadul.

Valyal was confident of retaining the constituency. Taking an apparent dig athis high profile rival, he quipped, “The speeches delivered before the United Nations’ assembly cannot ensure ration for the people. I have reached the people and know their problems.”

The constituency is dominated by Lingayat, Sali, Dhangar, Mahadeo-Koli, Muslim and Dalit communities.