Mumbai: In a triangular contest in Solapur Lok Sabha constituency, Sushilkumar Shinde of Congress appears to be uncomfortable. On Tuesday, he made an emotional appeal to the voters of Solapur that this was going to be his last election. So, they have the historical responsibility to send him to parliament one last ime.
Solapur will go to polls on Thursday and Tuesday was the last day for campaigning. Shinde addressed the media in Solapur and announced his political retirement a day before the polls. He said, after the current round of elections, he would not contest any more elections — neither the Lok Sabha nor the Assembly elections. This is my last poll. The people of Solapur have expressed their faith in me during my political career.
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The BJP is counting on the spiritual leader Dr Jai Saiddheshwar Shivacharya Swam against Shinde to carry along politically important Lingayat community with him, which constitutes nearly 3 lakh votes with a strong presence in Akkalkot, Mangalwedha and the southern parts of Solapur district. The Telugu-speaking Padmashali caste is yet another community whose votes the BJP is banking on.
