In a surprising move, the BJP has extended an invitation to Vishal Patil, the independent MP from Sangli and grandson of late Congress stalwart Vasantdada Patil, to join the party.
Chandrakant Patil, a senior BJP leader and Higher and Technical Education Minister, made the offer, stating that Vishal’s inclusion would strengthen the party’s Lok Sabha presence and accelerate development projects in his constituency.
Replying to the offer, Vishal Patil said, “This is an endorsement to the work I am doing. The minister might have likened my working style.”
But the MP made it clear that he was not keen to join BJP and made an appeal to all political parties that they should come together for development of the district.
Vishal Patil fought the Sangli Lok Sabha as an independent candidate since the seat was allocated to the Shiv Sena UBT, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Patil scored a decisive victory against the Sena candidate Chandrahar Patil, who lost his deposit, and the BJP sitting MP Sanjay Kaka Patil.
The BJP is trying to increase the numbers in the Parliament, and the move by the state unit can be seen as an attempt in this endeavour. Patil, soon after his victory, extended support to the INDIA front. He is considered close to former Congress Minister Vishwajit Patil.
An important fallout of Vishal Patil’s victory has been that the gap between the Congress and the Shiv Sena UBT widened, and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party alleged that the local Congress unit did not support the MVA candidate Chandrahar Patil and instead was seen working for Vishal Patil.
