Lok Sabha Elections 2019: New faces from BJP in Baramati, Solapur - Hindustan Times
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Lok Sabha Elections 2019: New faces from BJP in Baramati, Solapur

Hindustan Times, Pune | ByAbhay Khairnar and Shrinivas Deshpande
Mar 24, 2019 02:08 PM IST

While Kanchan Kul, wife of Rashtriya Samaj Paksh’s (RSP) Daund MLA, Rahul Kul, will fight against Sule, religious leader Jai Siddeshwar Swami has been pitted against the former Union home minister who was defeated by BJP’s Sharad Bansode in Solapur.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has given two new faces in western Maharashtra against senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde in Solapur and prominent Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule in Baramati.

Kanchan Kul(HT)
Kanchan Kul(HT)

While Kanchan Kul, wife of Rashtriya Samaj Paksh’s (RSP) Daund MLA, Rahul Kul, will fight against Sule, religious leader Jai Siddeshwar Swami has been pitted against the former Union home minister who was defeated by BJP’s Sharad Bansode in Solapur.

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Although Rahul is originally from the NCP, he had won the 2014 election from the RSP.

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis himself took keen interest in Baramati constituency and the party was in search of a strong candidate against Sule. Fadnavis finally convinced the Kul family to contest the elections against Pawar’s daughter, party leaders said.

BJP national president Amit Shah had recently announced in Pune that the party would chose a “local candidate” to defeat Sule. The Kul family from Daund has strong political roots and runs a cooperative sugar factory.

In the 2014 polls, RSP founder Mahadev Jankar had contested against Sule and had given a tough fight with the latter winning by a margin of 69.000 votes- the lowest-ever for the Pawars.

Born in Baramati, Kanchan belongs to the well-known Nimbalkar family and is a relative of senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra. Kul is expected to draw good support in the Khadakwasla, Daund and Purandar assembly constituencies under the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency.

In Solapur, the BJP has chosen religious leader Jai Siddheshwar Swami in place of sitting MP Sharad Bansode, who had defeated Sushilkumar Shinde in the last elections. However, Bansode faced considerable criticism for failing to address the key development issues of Solapur.

Heading Gaudgaon Math in Akkalkot taluka, the swami belongs to the Jangam community. With his nomination, the BJP is hopeful of influencing the Lingayat community which has a strong presence in the Solapur constituency.

BJP’s Solapur city president Ashok Nimbargi said the party has given a strong candidate as the swami has a large following not only in Solapur, but across Maharashtra.

In the 2014 polls, Muslims of Solapur constituency, who constitute 20 per cent of the population, voted against the Congress, proving to be a key factor in Shinde’s defeat.

Muslims, along with Scheduled Castes (14.58 %) and Scheduled Tribes (2.43 %), have a sizeable strength in the constituency and therefore, the Vanchit Bahujan Mahasangh (Dalit and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen alliance) led by Prakash Ambedkar, plans to contest from this seat.

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