Shiv Sena, Congress fixing began even before assembly polls, alleges BJP leader

Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar insisted it was done in exchange for local Congress leaders’ help to ensure BJP candidate Abhimanyu Pawar’s victory from Ausa

Former state minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar has stirred controversy by saying that Shiv Sena and Congress indulged in a 'fixing' for Latur rural constituency during 2019 Assembly polls.

BJP leader Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar. (HT Archive)

Talking to mediapersons in his hometown Latur, Nilangekar said the deal was 'cheating' with the electorate and local people who would not forgive the betrayal. He also alleged that the two parties were working on tacit deals even before the assbly polls which became clear when Shiv Sena ditched BJP and formed government with Congress and NCP later.

The disclosure by Nilangekar has also put the BJP leadership in state in an embarassing position as it also means BJP took help of local Congress leaders to win an assembly seat.

In his interaction with media, Nilangekar alleged that the fixing was done to help Congress' Dhiraj Deshmukh to win from Latur rural constituency in exchange of help by local Congress leaders to ensure victory of BJP candidate Abhimanyu Pawar in Ausa, a traditional Congress seat in the same district.

Dhiraj Deshmukh is youngest son of former chief minister late Vilasrao Deshmukh and brother of state medical education minister Amit Deshmukh. Pawar was personal assistant of then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.

In 2019 elections, BJP left the Latur rural seat to Shiv Sena as part of the seat sharing pact between the two parties (BJP and Sena contested in an alliance). Shiv Sena fielded a weak candidate making it easier for Dhiraj to win the seat, according to Nilangekar.

“We had scored well in the 2014 elections by polling 93000 votes and it was a favorable seat for BJP. Despite it, it was given to Sena as part 'fixing' for a Mumbai seat. Dhiraj Deshmukh won against NOTA option which saw 28000 votes and Sena candidate was thrown to third position,” he said.

According to his aides, the adjustment was done for the neighboring Ausa constituency which was held by Congress’s Basavraj Patil for years till then. The leaders say that Congress's local leadership tacitly helped BJP candidate (Pawar) to win Ausa, assumed to be a Congress stronghold.

During the 2019 elections there were reports that local Shiv Sena leaders and workers too were upset over their candidate Sachin Deshmukh.

The workers had put up posts on social media saying their candidate had gone missing. Sena workers had also stormed the local party office protesting against the candidature. NOTA winning more votes than Sena candidate was believably the anger expressed through the voting machine.

BJP sought to play down the allegations.

“I think whatever Nilangekar has said has been misquoted by the media. I am sure he is a loyal party leader and would not cross the framework of party discipline. No party leader will resort to any irresponsible statement,” said leader of opposition Pravin Darekar.

BJP state chief Chandrakant Patil chose to keep mum on the issue. "I have not heard the statement as yet. I will speak about it after taking information about it," he said.

Nilangekar said that to help Congress’s Dhiraj Deshmukh to win, Shiv Sena was hellbent on contesting Latur rural seat though it was with the BJP.

Congress leader Amit Deshmukh said Nilangekar should seek clarification from the state BJP leadership on what happened.

"Shiv Sena and BJP fought the elections in alliance and the candidates were finalised by them. His allegations are to seek attention of the people. He should clarify which BJP leader was involved in the fixing,"Deshmukh sais.

Shiv Sena's former MP and leader from Marathwada Chandrakant Khaire said, "The allegations are baseless as Sena fought the election with full fervor. The allegations are out of the old rivalry between Deshmukhs and Nilangekars. As part of the alliance candidate, Sena supported Nilangekar in Nilanga despite our differences with him."