BJP woos influential leaders in Solapur after Mohite-Patil joins NCP (SP)

Mohite-Patil and his family’s decision to rejoin Sharad Pawar has created trouble for the Bharatiya Janata Party in Solapur

Mumbai: Former deputy chief minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil and his family’s decision to rejoin the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has created trouble for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Solapur, which has two Lok Sabha constituencies. With powerful leaders from the district siding with Sharad Pawar-led NCP, the BJP and the ruling alliance are now busy wooing other influential leaders from Solapur to join them.

Solapur: NCP President Sharad Pawar, Senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde, Former Deputy Chief Minister Vijaysingh Mohite-patil and Dhairyasheel Mohite-patil after a press conference at Akluj in Solapur, Maharashtra, Sunday, April 14, 2024. (PTI Photo) (PTI04_14_2024_000249A) (PTI)

Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, head of the powerful Mohite-Patil family in Solapur, informally joined the BJP in 2019, his nephew Dhairyasheel, who was district general secretary till early this week, sided with NCP (SP). Mohite-Patils are an influential political family in western Maharashtra. After resigning from the BJP on Thursday, Dhairyasheel officially joined the party on Sunday in the presence of state unit chief of the party Jayant Patil and was announced party’s official candidate from Madha. He has been fielded against BJP’s Ranjeetsinh Naik-Nibalkar. Before it, Pawar, along with former chief minister and Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde, visited Mohite-Patils at their Akluj residence for lunch. Dhairyasheel and Congress’s Solapur LS candidate Praniti Shinde will file their nomination in the presence of Pawar on Tuesday.

When Pawar was busy garnering support from Mohite Patils and other influential local leaders, the BJP extended an olive branch to Dhangar (shepherd) leader Uttamrao Jankar. Deputy chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis has scheduled a meeting with him and the duo is expected to meet union minister Amit Shah soon. Jankar had fought 2019-Assembly polls as the NCP candidate after the BJP denied him a ticket despite being in the party for a decade. Jankar was defeated by BJP’s Ram Satpute, who is the party’s Solapur candidate in the ongoing Lok Sabha poll, by just 2,580 votes. Jankar, who is considered to be Mohite-Patil’s arch-rival, had announced to stand by Sharad Pawar in the LS polls. BJP is attempting to woo him by assuring him candidature in assembly polls as he is considered to be a powerful leader from Malshiras and popular among Dhangars.

“Even after the meetings with the BJP leaders, Jankar is unexpected to change sides,” a close friend said.

BJP MLA and party’s Solapur candidate Ram Satpute said, “I have done good work as an MLA for five years and the voters are with us. Our leaders are talking to Uttamrao Jankar and there will be good news soon. If he joins us, Ranjeetsinh’s winning margin will increase,” he said.

BJP is banking on two MLA brothers from Solapur Babanrao and Sanjay Shinde, who jointly control at least four sugar factories and other cooperative institutions. Shindes are considered arch rivals of Mohite-Patils.

Along with Mohite-Patils, another influential leader from Solapur Narayan Patil, recently defected to Sharad Pawar-led NCP from Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. He is scheduled to join NCP (SP) along with his supporters former district council members and panchayat samiti. Shiv Sena-Shinde faction’s Solapur district president Sanjay Kokate joined NCP (SP) and has vowed to work for Dhairyasheel. Another influential family from Satara Naik-Nimbalkars have opposed BJP’s candidate Ranjeesinh Naik-Nimbalkar in Madha. Former legislative council chairman Ramraje Naik-Nibalkar, who is with the Ajit Pawar-led faction of NCP, has refused to work for the alliance candidate Ranjeetsinh Naik-Nibalkar. Ramraje’s brothers Raghunathraje and Sanjivraje have announced to join NCP(SP).

NCP (SP) and the opposition alliance expect the developments to help them in at least three to four adjoining constituencies. “Mohite-Patils and Naik-Nimbalkars enjoy clout in Solapur, Satara, Sangli, Pune and could help in shifting vote share for Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi candidates,” said an NCP(SP) leader.

Sharad Pawar after the lunch with Mohite-Patils said, “Our meeting with Mohite-Patils was attended by important leaders from Solapur and have assured to help in winning our candidates. The joining of the influential leaders sends a positive message not only in the district but across the state.”