Unmesh Patil, the sitting BJP MP from Jalgaon who is upset about being denied a Lok Sabha ticket due to the politics of the BJP in the district, is all set to join Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Wednesday morning. After meeting with Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree in Mumbai, Patil told The Free Press Journal that BJP will now have to struggle more for success in the Jalgaon constituency.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Unmesh Patil was elected from Jalgaon by securing a record seven lakh votes. His five-year tenure was counted among the top ten MPs. Patil, who is highly educated, was successful in solving many pending issues of the district in the Lok Sabha. Even though the voters were happy with his work, the leaders decided against giving him a second chance, fearing that this would lead to an increase in his stature in the party.
Instead, the BJP gave the ticket to Smita Wagh from the Jalgaon constituency. This angered a large group within the BJP. Patil tried to negotiate, but to no avail. This angered his supporters, and it was decided to change the party. Firstly, Unmesh Patil met Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday morning, followed by a meeting with party chief Uddhav Thackeray at Matoshree. After this meeting, he told FPJ that he is joining Shiv Sena (UBT) by bidding farewell to the BJP with a 'Jai Shri Ram'.
The Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituency is with the Thackeray group in Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), and the candidate has not been announced yet, though Karan Pawar's name is in discussions.
