In the fourth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024, polling will take place for 11 seats in Maharashtra where Union minister Raosaheb Danve, BJP leader Pankaja Munde and actor-turned-politician Amol Kolhe are among the prominent candidates. According to the PTI, over 2.28 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise to seal the fate of 298 candidates in the fourth phase of elections in the state. The 11 constituencies - Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi, Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver and Beed. The constituencies are spread across the central Marathwada in Maharashtra as well as northern and western regions of the state. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm at 23,284 polling centres, according to data provided by the office of the state's chief electoral officer. In the 11 constituencies covered in the fourth phase, there are 2,28,01,151 registered voters -- 1,18,59,645 men, 1,09,40,234 women and 1,272 third gender persons. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has renominated Union minister Raosaheb Danve from Jalna constituency and Sujay Vikhe Patil in Ahmednagar, and fielded former state minister Pankaja Munde from Beed. Actor-turned-politician Amol Kolhe is the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate from Shirur Lok Sabha seat in Pune district. In Marathwada, it is the BJP versus Congress in Jalna, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) versus Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Aurangabad. In Beed, the BJP has fielded former state minister Pankaja Munde instead of sitting MP and her younger sister Pritam Munde. Pankaja's main rival will be Bajrang Sonawane of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP. In Shirur, sitting MP Kolhe of the NCP (SP) is pitted against Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who is contesting as candidate of the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. After Baramati in Pune district, Shirur is another prestige battle for Ajit Pawar who has publicly stated that he wants to ensure the defeat of Amol Kolhe. In northern Maharashtra's Nandurbar (ST-reserved), sitting BJP MP Heena Gavit and Congress' Gowaal Padvi are locked in a straight contest. In Ahmednagar in western Maharashtra, BJP's Sujay Vikhe Patil is taking on Nilesh Lanke of the NCP (SP). Nilesh Lanke, the MLA from Parner in Ahmednagar district, sided with Ajit Pawar when the NCP split in July 2023. However, he later returned to the Sharad Pawar camp. In Jalgaon, it is a BJP versus NCP (SP) battle. In Raver also, which comes under Jalgaon district, the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led outfit are taking on each other. In western Maharashtra's Maval, the two rival Shiv Senas are locked in a bitter fight post the 2022 split in the party. In Pune city, the BJP and the Congress are the main contenders. In Shirdi constituency, where the famous Saibaba temple is located, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde is taking on the Shiv Sena (UBT). Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after 80 in Uttar Pradesh. Out of the 48 seats, voting has been completed in 24 in the first three phases of elections. (with PTI inputs)
12 May,2024 03:30 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Nitesh Rane on Saturday said Hindus in Palghar must vote for the party that will ensure their safety and asserted opting for the opposition INDIA and MVA alliances was a "vote for love jihad and land jihad", reported news agency PTI. Addressing a press conference, the Kankavli MLA attacked the Congress and claimed it was speaking the language of Pakistan in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, reported PTI. "Hindus are ready to take revenge for the brutal way sadhus were killed here," he said in a reference to the April 16, 2020 incident in Gadchinchle village where two sadhus and their driver was lynched by a mob amid the coronavirus lockdown while they were travelling in a car from Mumbai to Surat. "Hindus in Palghar must vote for the party that will ensure their safety. If they vote for anyone else, then there is sure to be danger ahead," said Rane, who is the BJP's joint observer for Palghar (ST) Lok Sabha seat, reported PTI. Attacking Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and the Congress, he said, "Voting for the opposition INDI alliance and Maha Vikas Aghadi is a vote for love jihad and land jihad. The Congress speaks the language of Pakistan. It even questioned the existence of Lord Ram." Asked about issues pertaining to Palghar, Rane said he would need time to answer with technical details, but asserted that voting for the candidates from the same party ruling in the state and at the Centre would speed up development, reported PTI. The BJP has fielded Hemant Savara, son of former state minister late Vishnu Savara, from Palghar. He will take on Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Bharti Kamdi and Bahujan Vikas Aghadi's Rajesh Patil. Polls will be held on May 20. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 02:21 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has claimed the country will see "black days" if the Modi government is not defeated, reported news agency PTI. Speaking about the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, Uddhav Thackeray, in an interview to his party mouthpiece 'Saamana' which appeared in its Sunday edition, said the people of India will decide the future of their leaders, reported PTI. "The future of the country will be peaceful and democracy will thrive if the present government is defeated...else the country will see black days. Acche din (good days) never came, but black days will..," he claimed, reported PTI. The former Maharashtra chief minister also alleged that protection of the corrupt is the "Modi guarantee", reported PTI. All other political parties and the country are being cleansed of the corrupt people since the BJP has assured protection to them with their induction into its fold, the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader claimed. "The BJP is inducting all corrupt people like a vacuum cleaner which sucks all dust and dirt. Congress, Shiv Sena and the entire country have become free of the corrupt people," he said, reported PTI. Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speeches during the poll campaign, Thackeray said, "He (the PM) has Pakistan in his speeches while the opposition speaks about India," reported PTI. The former CM also accused the BJP of "bringing Lord Ram" in the election discourse because the ruling party has nothing to project in terms of development. Meanwhile, NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Saturday alleged Prime Minister Narendra Modi cannot tolerate criticism but speaks anything against others, an attack coming a day after Modi advised the "nakli NCP" to join hands with Ajit Pawar after Lok Sabha elections 2024 results, reported PTI. Addressing a rally for the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) nominee from Beed, Bajrang Sonawane, the veteran politician accused Modi of openly targeting Muslims, though as a prime minister, he should stand for citizens of all castes and faiths. "Modi can't tolerate criticism but he speaks anything against others. These days he is openly targeting Muslims, when as the prime minister, he should stand for citizens of all castes and creeds. The hatred for Muslims is visible," Pawar said, adding that people shouldn't do anything that will help Modi in elections. He dubbed Modi "anti-women and anti-farmer". "The Modi government has done nothing for the welfare of farmers in the last ten years. His government has also turned a blind eye to atrocities against women," the former Union agriculture minister said. The arrest of Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren are examples of the misuse and arrogance of power, he alleged. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 12:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA case has been registered against a 37-year-old Navi Mumbai cop for allegedly abetting the suicide of his wife in Navi Mumbai township of Maharashtra, officials said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI. The 31-year-old victim got married to the accused, a resident of Kharghar area in Navi Mumbai and a sub-inspector with the CISF, on November 30, 2014 and the couple has two sons aged 7 and 3, they said, reported PTI. The Navi Mumbai cop used to allegedly beat up his wife and ask for money from her parents. She once invested money in shares on her husband's advice and incurred losses for which he blamed her, Kharghar police station's senior inspector Rajeev Shejwal said, reported PTI. The accused Navi Mumbai cop also wanted a land in her name and her bank accounts to be transferred to him and his family members and also threatened to divorce her, the police said quoting a complaint filed by the victim's brother, reported PTI. On May 3, 2024, the woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling of her house, the official said, reported PTI. Initially, the police lodged a case of accidental death. After a probe into the incident following the complaint, an FIR was registered on Friday against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 306 (abetment of suicide), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (criminal intimidation), the official said. In another case, the police have arrested six persons from Navi Mumbai for allegedly kidnapping a six-month-old baby boy from Madhya Pradesh, an official said on Friday, reported PTI. Based on a tip-off, the Kalyan police rescued the baby from a residential building in the Panvel area of Navi Mumbai, Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone-III Kalyan Sachin Gunjal said, reported PTI. The baby was kidnapped from near his house in Reva district of Madhya Pradesh, and a case under section 363 (kidnapping) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code was registered, he said, reported PTI. The Madhya Pradesh police received information the accused were somewhere around Kalyan, Shahad region, and the local police were alerted, the official said, reported PTI. Two teams were formed, and they zeroed in on two women and three men, who were detained and interrogated, he said. Six persons have been arrested in connection with the case and handed over to the MP police, the official said. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 12:04 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court has sought to know from the Mumbai University if it can permit a convict in the 7/11 serial train blasts case to take his law examinations online, reported news agency PTI. A division bench of Justices Makarand Karnik and Kamal Khata on Friday said owing to security reasons, the situation may warrant to permit the candidate, Mohammed Sajid Marghoob Ansari, to appear for his exams online, reported PTI. On July 11, 2006, seven bomb blasts occurred in coaches of some local trains in Mumbai, killing 189 persons and injuring 824 others, reported PTI. In September 2015, a special court convicted Ansari and others in the 7/11 serial train blasts case, reported PTI. Ansari had sought permission to appear for the second semester law examinations held by the Siddharth Law College in south Mumbai from May 3 to May 15. The court then permitted him to physically appear for the exams and directed the Nashik central prison authorities to take him to the college on the exam dates. On May 10, Ansar moved an application saying he could not appear for the papers held on May 3 and 9, reported PTI. The prosecution said despite genuine efforts made by the Nashik central prison authorities, Ansari could not be taken to the college on time, reported PTI. The bench directed the prison superintendent to file an affidavit by June 5, stating why there was a delay. The court also asked advocate Rui Rodrigues, appearing for the Mumbai University, if Ansari could be permitted to appear for the exams online to which he said there was no such facility, reported PTI. In the peculiar facts as in the present case, the situation may warrant, having regard to the security concerns, to permit the candidate to appear through the online mode, the HC said. The court directed the Mumbai University to clarify its stand for permitting such candidates to appear through the online mode, reported PTI. "We request the competent authority of Mumbai University to look into this aspect and after consulting with all concerned, including the ATS (Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad), place its stand on record," the court said, reported PTI. The bench also asked the university to say if the two exams that Ansari missed owing to circumstances beyond his control could be rescheduled, reported PTI. The high court posted the matter for further hearing on June 10. In 2015, Ansari got permission from the court to pursue the law degree course, reported PTI. In 2023, he got permission to appear for the first semester exams. The high court while granting permission to Ansari to appear for the second semester exams noted that he has undergone actual imprisonment for more than 17 years and during his incarceration pursued further education, reported PTI. The prosecution opposed his plea claiming he was a high risk prisoner convicted on serious charges. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 11:54 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentEverything is better with a DOG A child and her canine companion enjoy the evening at Bandra’s bandstand. Is Russell mania coming soon? Andre Russell, the strapping Jamaican all-rounder, has been more than just a useful player for the Kolkata Knight Riders. He can dismiss well-set batsmen and be a destroyer of the best of bowling attacks. Save the 2012 and 2013 seasons (in which he represented Delhi Daredevils), Russell, 36, has always been a Knight Rider. He is in the West Indies squad for next month’s T20 World Cup to be held in the West Indies and America. And while this is no sweet music to the ears of the two-time champions’ opponents, his T20I record is not very impressive. In 75 games under the maroon West Indies cap, Russell has scored 955 runs at 21.70 although his strike-rate is good at 163.53. With the ball, he is one short of hitting the 50-wicket mark. Clearly, Russell is not as devastating on the international scene as he is in the IPL. Here’s his chance to be the player he ought to be for his region. And if West Indies are going to claim their third T20 silverware then Russell must be in thick of things. Doubtless, the players who have been picked to be part of their country’s squad in the West Indies and America will be watching him closely. Creating a level-playing field Balram Vishwakarma, aka the man behind Andheri West Shit Posting, writes scripts as his day job. And so, Vishwakarma and his friends Rohan K Mehta and Varun Kumar, have started an initiative called Versova Homage Screenings (VHS). On Saturday, VHS screened the movie Pine Cone with director Onir at the Star Preview Theatre. “We found that many people from the industry don’t have a platform for networking. Most struggling artistes cannot afford Soho House membership to benefit from networking there,” says Vishwakarma. “Which is why Rohan, Varun and I organise these screenings with directors and allow people to come, free of cost. We usually have 40 people who are connected to the industry, and 10 complete outsiders,” he signs off. Piano tunes from a child’s heart These tiny tots will win your heart. The students of Shivani Patel Vissanji and Vivek Patel’s 88 The Piano Academy in Haji Ali are performing a musical called— Through the Ages—today at G5A. The play will showcase various styles of music from the 60s to the 2000s, with a script that deals with children talking to their teachers, and grandmothers, across time and generations. “Children have either no or very limited opportunities to showcase their talents in this part of the world. We have been doing regular concerts every year but this one is special as it incorporates acting, singing, and playing instruments all in one,” Shivani Patel told this diarist. The past few months have been a flurry of excitement at the school. “During the prep, the kids were so excited about balancing their music with acting and singing that they kept running around from one jam room to another. To see the excitement was the best part.” Best of luck! What would Mumbai say about itself? A photograph from the book, which features different kinds of couples, including a pair of crows. Pic/CY Gopinath Author and mid-day columnist CY Gopinath is busy working on a new book tentatively titled Bombai: The Many Lives of a Megapolis. He calls it a "defining urban biography" of Mumbai, combining his own experiences and insights with interviews and stories of Mumbaikars from different walks of life, woven in with history and an envisioned future. "The city is a giant, empty canvas that I will flesh out in the next 12 months. CY Gopinath Of course, the book's themes come from personal threads and memories from my 25 years here - it's chaotic body; its endlessly innovative mind; its soul, where crime, compassion and collaboration walk together; and its resilient spirit that always rises above its own mess to reach for something more luminous. But it's not a lookback or an ode to the past. It's a journalistic exploration. I hope to literally rediscover the city I grew up in." If all of his interviews and explorations go as planned, the book (being published by Aleph) should be out in bookshops by April next year.If any Mumbaikars want to share their Mumbai stories with the author, please mail bombaistories@gmail.com.
12 May,2024 10:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Team SMDPolice have registered a case against 36 persons, including a man acquitted in a case under the stringent MCOCA, for taking out a procession to celebrate his release amid prohibitory orders in force in Thane district, an official said on Sunday, reported news agency PTI. A special court hearing cases under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) on May 7 acquitted the man for want of sufficient evidence. On May 8, when he came out of jail, his supporters took out a procession at Navi Vasti in Bhiwandi area of Thane district, the official from Bhiwandi town police station said, reported PTI. The participants of the procession in Thane allegedly violated prohibitory orders in force in the area. They also posted on social media some videos of the procession in Thane along with threatening slogans, he said, reported PTI. Based on a complaint by a policeman, a case was registered on Thursday against the man and 35 others under Indian Penal Code sections 143, 149 (both for unlawful assembly) and provisions of the Maharashtra Police Act and Criminal Law (Amendment) Act, the official said. In another case, a 22-year-old man has been arrested in Dombivli area of the district for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl living in his neighbourhood, police said on Saturday, reported PTI. The incident took place at Sagarli village, said an official of Manpada police station. As per the complaint, the accused lured the girl to his house and raped her after threatening to kill her and her parents if she resisted, reported PTI. The girl initially did not tell her parents about the incident. Two days ago, when she developed pain in her abdomen and her mother took her to the doctor, she disclosed everything, the official said, reported PTI. A case of rape under IPC section 376 and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was registered and probe was on, he said. A local court on Saturday remanded the accused in police custody till May 15. Meanwhile, police have arrested two alleged drug peddlers for possessing mephedrone worth Rs 8.25 lakh at Bhiwandi in Maharashtra's Thane district, an official said on Saturday. The action was taken on Friday around 3.30 am, he said. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 09:35 AM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentHectic campaigning marked by rallies and roadshows came to an end at 6 pm on Saturday in 11 constituencies of Maharashtra where polling will take place on May 13 in the fourth phase of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024. The fate of 298 candidates including Union minister Raosaheb Danve of the BJP (in Jalna constituency), former state minister and BJP leader Pankaja Munde (Beed), actor Amol Kolhe of the NCP (SP) (Shirur, Pune district) and Sujay Vikhe Patil of the BJP (Ahmednagar) will be decided in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 where more than 2.28 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. The 11 constituencies are spread across the central Marathwada as well as Northern and Western regions of Maharashtra. Voting will take place from 7 am to 6 pm at 23,284 polling centres, according to data provided by the office of the state chief electoral officer. In Northern Maharashtra's Nandurbar (ST), where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a campaign rally on Friday in support of sitting MP Heena Gavit, the BJP and Congress are locked in a straight contest, while in Jalgaon, it is a BJP versus NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) battle. In Raver in Jalgaon district too the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led outfit are taking on each other. In Marathwada, it is the BJP versus Congress in Jalna, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) versus Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in Aurangabad. In Beed, the BJP has fielded Pankaja Munde instead of sitting MP and her younger sister Pritam Munde. Pankaja's main rival will be Bajrang Sonawane of the NCP (SP). In Western Maharashtra's Maval, the two rival Shiv Senas, led by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and his successor Shinde, are locked in a bitter fight post the 2022 split in the party. In Pune city, the BJP and the Congress are the main contenders. In Shirur, actor Kolhe, who is the sitting MP, is pitted against Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who is contesting as candidate of the NCP led by deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. After Baramati in Pune district, Shirur is another prestige battle for Ajit Pawar who has publicly stated that he wants to ensure the defeat of Kolhe. In Ahmednagar in western Maharashtra, the BJP's Sujay Vikhe Patil is taking on Nilesh Lanke of the NCP (SP). Lanke, MLA from Parner in Ahmednagar district, sided with Ajit Pawar when the NCP split in July 2023. However, he later returned to the Sharad Pawar camp. In Shirdi constituency, where the famous Saibaba temple is located, the Shiv Sena led by Shinde is taking on the Shiv Sena (UBT). There are 2,28,01,151 registered voters in the 11 constituencies covered in the fourth phase -- 1,18,59,645 male, 1,09,40,234 female and 1,272 of third gender. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80). Of these, voting has been completed in 24 constituencies in the first three phases of Lok Sabha elections 2024. The fifth and final phase covering 13 seats will take place on May 20. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 09:00 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA Brazilian national was arrested from Mumbai airport allegedly with 975 grams of cocaine worth Rs 9.75 crore, a Directorate of Revenue Intelligence official said on Saturday, reported news agency PTI. The Brazilian national was apprehended on Thursday from Mumbai airport on specific intelligence and he confessed to having ingested drug-filled capsules, the Mumbai Zone DRI official said, reported PTI. "He was produced in a court where the magistrate ordered that he be admitted in JJ Hospital. On Friday, doctors there purged from his body 110 capsules containing 975 grams of cocaine valued at Rs 9.75 crore," he said, reported PTI. He was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and further probe to unravel the peddling network was underway, the official said. In another case, busting an interstate drug syndicate, the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has arrested two accused at Kalyan Railway Station in Thane and seized from them 3,600 Nitrazepam tablets and 270 bottles of Codeine syrup, reported ANI. According to the NCB, the network has its tentacles spread across multiple states, including Maharashtra, and Karnataka. "In a closely coordinated operation, NCB has successfully delivered yet another cracking blow to the interstate drug syndicate, which has led to the seizure of 3600 Nitrazepam tablets & 270 bottles of Codeine syrup for which two persons, including the local distributor and his key associate, have been arrested," said Additional Director NCB (Mumbai) Amit Ghawate in a press statement on Friday, reported ANI. In an effort to curb drug trafficking during the upcoming election, intelligence was gathered and it was noted that a notorious interstate drug syndicate has sketched a plan to smuggle a drug consignment into the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, according to the statement. "Urgent intervention in the input and development of the information led to the identification of a person named SS Khan. Continuous investigation led to identification of details about the SS Khan, and soon information was gathered that he had procured consignment of illicitly diverted prescription medicines from outside Maharashtra in a regular manner for further supply to his customers," the NCB said, reported ANI. Accordingly, a team of NCB Mumbai officials was deputed to mount surveillance immediately. Gradual linkages indicated that SS Khan along with one of his close confidant named M Khan has gone to Karnataka for purchase of a drug consignment. All intelligence sources were alerted which led to further details, the NCB said, reported ANI. On May 10, upon confirmation of possession of a drug consignment, based on analysis, a trap layout was set up at Kalyan Railway Station, Maharashtra. Soon, after the arrival of the train, upon de-boarding from the train, the duo were immediately physically identified by the NCB team. After interception at the spot and further, during the search, a total of 3600 Nitrazepam tablets and 270 bottles of Codeine syrup were recovered, said the NCB, reported ANI. The NCB said that during the interrogation, all the accused voluntarily accepted their involvement in the procurement of the seized drug consignment for further sale in Mumbai, Thane, Kalyan and other MMR regions. Further, one of the arrested people already has a criminal history and was linked to a syndicate with a notorious criminal background in which a few members were previously involved in other drug trafficking stints, and a few other members are already arrested under various NDPS matters, reported ANI. Incremental information about the syndicate and other details have been obtained, which are not only corroborative but also being analysed for the identification of other members of the syndicate. Further detailed investigation is underway to identify and arrest the other gang members and to neutralise the entire drug network, the NCB added. (With inputs from PTI and ANI)
12 May,2024 08:55 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentMumbai Police has issued guidelines restricting assembly of people within 100 metres from polling stations for all six Lok Sabha constituencies which will vote in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024 on May 20. As per the guidelines, the entry of those persons not related to elections will not be allowed in the vicinity of polling stations from 6 am till May 20 midnight, reported news agency PTI. Only those persons, including candidates or the accredited agents of candidates or officials on poll duty or a public servant engaged in duty at or in the vicinity of such polling station, shall be allowed, an official said on Saturday, reported PTI. All the six Parliamentary constituencies in Mumbai, including Mumbai South, Mumbai North, Mumbai North Central, Mumbai South Central, Mumbai North East and Mumbai North West, will vote on May 20 in the fifth phase of Lok Sabha elections 2024, the last in Maharashtra. A battle between two Shiv Senas, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former CM Uddhav Thackeray, respectively, is on the cards in at least three seats, while in the rest, the contest lies between BJP and other allies MVA, namely Congress and NCP (SP), reported PTI. As per the guidelines, voters shall form separate queues for men and women in front of polling stations, and wait for their turn in compliance with the directions of the presiding officer, the police official said. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 08:49 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentAmid ongoing Lok Sabha elections 2024, the Vikhe Patil family's hold on the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, a BJP bastion since 2009, is facing a fierce challenge from NCP (SP) candidate Nilesh Lanke, who has posed himself as the common man's leader, reported PTI. Sitting BJP MP Sujay Vikhe Patil has been renominated by the party in the seat. In 2019, he defeated Sangram Jagtap of then undivided NCP by a margin of 2,81,526 votes. This time, Jagtap, an Ajit Pawar-faction leader, is campaigning for Vikhe Patil after a split in the NCP. Lanke, who was earlier with the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), resigned as an MLA and is fighting the election on a Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) ticket. Polling for this seat will be held in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections 2024 on May 13, reported PTI. Political observers feel that the election is a chance for Lanke to prove himself as someone who can defeat the mighty while for Sujay Vikhe Patil, winning this election is important to ensure the continuance of his family's legacy and the saffron party's dominance in the district. Apart from that, it is also a fight between the traditional rivals Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Sharad Pawar, they said. In 2019, Vikhe Patil visited most of the villages in the constituency and established a good rapport with locals. However, some political observers feel that he has lost his touch after the 2019 victory, which made things easier for Lanke to make inroads, reported PTI. "As a parliamentarian, one needs to be regularly in touch with one's voters and people. I know that Sujay Vikhe Patil has not been consistent in keeping contact with people as most of his (Vikhe Patil family's) educational institutes are in Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency and not in Ahmednagar," Lanke said, The BJP candidate, however, rejected the charge, reported PTI. "I have set up a network of assistants for every tehsil in my Lok Sabha constituency. I have been receiving regular follow-ups with them related to the issues faced by people," Vikhe Patil said, reported PTI. He claimed that he had undertaken several developmental works, including sanctioning and constructing highways and developing the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) area to provide jobs for the youth. "You need someone who can understand the technical issues and follow them up with Delhi's various departments." The Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency comprises six assembly segments -- Ahmednagar city, Shevgaon, Rahuri, Parner, Shrigonda and Karjat-Jamkhed. Acute water scarcity is a major problem in the constituency. Sujay Vikhe Patil belongs to a prominent political family in Ahmednagar district. His great grandfather late Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil had established India's first sugar cooperative factory. His father Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil is a minister in the Eknath Shinde government. Before joining the BJP in 2019, he was associated with the Congress for two decades and with Shiv Sena before that. He has been representing the Shirdi assembly constituency in the Ahmednagar district since 1995. The BJP Lok Sabha candidate's grandfather late Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil was a seven-time MP from Kopargaon and once from Ahmednagar after delimitation. He was part of the Congress as well as the Shiv Sena and was a minister in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government, reported PTI. Sujay Vikhe Patil is largely relying on the educational and cooperative institutions controlled by his family and the traditional BJP vote bank to win the Lok Sabha elections 2024. On the other hand, Lanke has a strong network of loyal supporters and his efforts to provide free treatment to people during the Covid pandemic earned him appreciation from the locals. He has been keeping his campaign centred around local issues such as water supply and healthcare, reported PTI. The old rivalry between Sharad Pawar and the Vikhe Patil family is also a major factor in this seat. (With inputs from PTI)
12 May,2024 08:32 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
