The incumbent Shiv Sena MP from Shirur, Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil has been elected thrice, twice from Shirur and once from Khed before the constituency was renamed in 2009. Each time he has contested, Adhalrao has won by a decisive margin. Shirur will go to polls on April 29. However, this time, it is not going to be a cakewalk for Adhalrao, who is sweating it out, holding as many rallies as possible and roping in dozens of leaders and ministers from the BJP-Shiv Sena combine to canvass for him. Adhalrao is pitted against television star Dr Amol Kolhe, who has been fielded by the NCP. Kolhe’s role as Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son Sambhaji Maharaj in the popular Marathi serial Swarajya Rakshak Sambhaji, has made him a household name. Adhalrao has been a formidable leader in the last 15 years. But Kolhe’s challenge has changed the political set up in Shirur. His popularity is evident in how people receive him wherever he goes. While some want his autograph, others want selfies. Like actor-turned-politician Urmila Matondkar, who has come across as a politically savvy candidate, Kolhe too has displayed awareness of local, national and international issues. He is known for his oratorical skills among his peers and does not read out from notes while addressing rallies. He knows the names and designations of each leader present alongside him on the dais. His speeches are also a topic of discussion in the constituency. “Though he is not acting, he is reacting strongly on all issues. He is aware of the problems in the constituency. Every rally has seen a good turnout,” says advocate Sachin Godambe, a Shirur resident. Adhalrao as well as Kolhe have had to face infighting. Former NCP MLA Vilas Lande was eying the Shirur seat and had made all preparations to contest, when the NCP announced Kolhe’s candidature. Adhalrao too faced problems as BJP MLA Mahesh Landge was seeking a nomination from the seat. The Shirur parliamentary seat was created following the delimitation exercise in 2009. Earlier, it was known as Khed constituency. It has around two lakh Dalit votes. Bhima Koregaon, which shot to prominence on January 1, 2018, due to violent incidents, is located in the Shirur constituency. As reported by The Indian Express, none of the candidates contesting from the seat are talking about the Bhima Koregaon incident. The Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Agadhi (VBA) has fielded Rahul Ovhal, who too says the incident is not at all an issue for them. “I represent all the communities,” he says. Ovhal, who is likely to split some votes of the Congress-NCP, belongs to the Mali community, under the Other Backward Castes, which has a strong presence in this constituency. Adhalrao is banking on the development works he has carried out in the last five years. “This five-year term has been more fruitful than the previous two. I have been able to implement development works worth Rs 13,000 crore, including the widening of Pune-Nashik highway as well as the Pune-Nashik railway work,” he says. His supporters have demanded that he should be appointed a minister if he is elected. He says he is not worried by the actor’s presence. “There is no reason for me to worry. The BJP-Sena is a formidable unit in Shirur. Last time, I won by a margin of more than three lakh votes. This time, I am trying to secure a bigger margin. And that’s why I am in top campaign mode,” he says. Kolhe is seeking a chance to represent and change the face of the constituency. “For the last 15 years, no one has been treated fairly in Shirur. The MP could not even get a trauma care centre or a government hospital like YCMH (Yashwantrao Chavan Memorial Hospital) or Sassoon. Hundreds from the constituency have to go to Pune or Pimpri-Chinchwad daily,” he says. Kolhe says though Shirur has a clutch of Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) such as Chakan and Shikrapur, hardly any new units have been set up. “This is because the MP has shown no initiave,” Kolhe says, adding that Adhalrao has done nothing to improve tourist destinations, pilgrimage spots or even forts like Shivneri, where Chhatrapati Shivaji was born. In the 2014 elections, Adhalrao had polled 6.43 lakh votes while his rival Devdatt Nikam of the NCP had managed 3.41 lakh votes. The victory margin was 3.01 lakh votes. Shirur has six Assembly constituencies: Bhosari, Shirur, Khed Alandi, Hadapsar, Ambegaon and Junnar. Of these, Bhosari, Shirur and Hadapsar are with the BJP, Khed Alandi with the Shiv Sena, Ambegaon with the NCP, and Junnar with the MNS.
