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Harshvardhan Patil joins NCP (SP), to contest assembly polls from Indapur
However, the announcement is likely to increase resentment among some party leaders, who are considered Patil’s detractors
Former Maharashtra minister Harshvardhan Patil joined the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Monday, days after quitting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
After inducting Patil into the party, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar made it clear that the former will be the party’s Indapur candidate in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. “I urge people to send Harshvardhan Patil to the Vidhan Sabha,” the veteran leader said at the event organised to welcome Patil into the party in Indapur.
However, the announcement is likely to increase resentment among some party leaders, who are considered Patil’s detractors. Those aspiring for nomination in the upcoming assembly polls appeared disappointed.
Pravin Mane, who had been the head of the political campaign for Baramati MP Supriya Sule in Indapur for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, is unhappy over Patil’s induction. Indapur falls under the Baramati constituency,
While Patil is keen to contest the state polls from Indapur, which he had earlier represented, Mane too is aspiring for the seat. Sonai Dairy chairman Dasharath Mane, father of Pravin, has been aligned with the NCP (SP), even as the father-son duo had approached Devendra Fadnavis of BJP during the recently held Lok Sabha polls.
To address his concerns, Shirur NCP (SP) MLA Ashok Pawar met Mane at the latter’s residence minutes before Patil’s induction into the party. Ashok denied discussing politics at the meet, but people close to Mane said efforts are being made to take the latter on board.
“I didn’t discuss political issues with Mane. If at all there is any issue, my party leaders will take care of it,” Ashok said.
NCP (SP) Sule met party leader Bharat Shah just before the induction function in Indapur. In local politics, Shah is considered Harshvardhan’s detractor. A day before, local leaders and party workers met Sharad Pawar and Sule and aired their concerns saying the ticket should be given to party loyalist.
After her meeting with Shah, Sule said, “Some local leaders and workers met Pawar saheb and myself. In Indapur, some party office-bearers expressed their sentiments, and the NCP (SP) is a party which maintains transparency.”
Patil, who is currently the president of National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories, quit the BJP last week.
After meeting the NCP (SP) chief in Mumbai on October 3, Patil had said that Pawar urged him to join his party and contest the assembly elections, likely to be held next month.
“He said he would get me elected,” the former MLA had claimed.
Two disgruntled leaders Ashok Jagdale and Pravin Mane held a press conference late in the evening and said they have given NCP (SP) time till October 10. “If the party leadership doesn’t change the nomination, there’s going to be revolt in Indapur,” said Jagdale while Mane sitting next to him.
Speculations were rife that Patil, a former MLA from Indapur assembly seat, would switch sides, especially after NCP leader and deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said that those who won the seat last time will get to retain the seat.
Patil, who has been elected as MLA four times from Indapur, has been aspiring to contest from the seat again.
The seat is represented by BJP’s alliance partner NCP, which is likely to field sitting MLA Dattatray Bharne again this time.
