Floods, migration for jobs and lack of development projects are among the key issues in Maharashtra's Sangli parliamentary constituency as it heads for an interesting contest with a rebel Congress leader challenging the party's MVA alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT).
What should have been a two-way fight between the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) is now a triangular contest. The BJP has renominated its incumbent MP Sanjaykaka Patil to take on Chandrahar Patil of the Shiv Sena (UBT). But Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) constituent Congress' rebel leader Vishal Patil is contesting as an Independent.
The constituency in the state's sugar belt comprises the assembly segments of Miraj, Sangli, Khanapur, Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal, Jath and Palus-Kadegaon. It will go to polls in the third phase of the Lok Sabha election on May 7.
The Congress was keen to contest the seat but when it went to the Sena (UBT) as part of a seat-sharing arrangement among the alliance partners, Vishal Patil, the grandson of former chief minister Late Vasantdada Patil, entered the fray on his own.
Vishal Patil's aura
The ex-chief minister's family enjoys support in the Sangli region. His elder son Prakash Patil is a former MP and his grandson Pratik Patil served as a minister of state in the Manmohan Singh government.
Vishal Patil claimed that local Congress leaders and workers support him and wanted him to contest the polls despite the party leadership pledging support to the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate.
"This fight is for our existence. The Congress has been the dominant party here but still, we did not get permission to contest from here. Instead, the seat was given to our alliance partner Sena (UBT). Our party workers feel if Congress is to be kept alive here, someone from the grand old party must contest and they have chosen me," he asserted.
This electoral battle is also one of "self-respect" and Sangli's "asmita (pride) and our identity", the Congress leader added.
Wrestler-turned-politician Chandrahar Patil said his party and other MVA constituents Congress and the NCP (SP) give strength to one another.
"There is no place where all three parties are strong. Someone is strong somewhere and in some places, someone is weak. Together, we will the elections, one hundred per cent," he added.
Constituency at glance
Local people say the constituency lacks employment opportunities which pushes thousands to migrate to cities like Mumbai and Pune for work.
Situated in the Krishna sub-basin, floods have also become a major issue here, they added.
In the monsoon of 2019, Sangli and the neighbouring Kolhapur district experienced one of the worst floods in the area. They were also hit by floods in 2020 and 2021.
Once a stronghold of the Congress, Sangli has seen the BJP's rise in the past decade with MP Sanjaykaka Patil.
The Sangli seat was held by Vasantdada Patil's family from 1980 to 2014. The Congress nominated Pratik Patil in 2014 but he lost to Sanjaykaka Patil. In 2019, the Congress allowed Vishal Patil to contest on the Swabhimani Paksha's symbol but he was unsuccessful.
In the last election in Sangli, Sanjaykaka Patil polled over 5 lakh votes, while Vishal Patil got 3.4 lakh. The candidate of the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi finished third with nearly 3 lakh votes.
With the BJP nominating him once again, Sanjaykaka Patil said funds were released by the Centre for an irrigation project and it was completed.
"Now, a tender has been floated to extend the project in the next one-and-a-half years. National highways have also been constructed. If a big government project comes here, then issues concerning jobs will be resolved," he added.
Besides having a number of sugar factories, including the sprawling Vasantdada Shetkari Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana, Sangli is also a trading hub for grapes, raisins, spices and turmeric.
"In the past four to five years, turmeric prices had plunged to Rs 6,000-7,000 per quintal. As fewer farmers grew it, prices have gone up to Rs 17,000 to 22,000 per quintal now. Turmeric farmers are happy," said Shrikant Marda, the president of an association of turmeric traders in Sangli.
There are 18,65,960 registered voters - 9,52,005 males, 9,13,843 females and 112 from the third-gender category - in the constituency which has 1,830 polling centres.
The Lok Sabha elections for the 48 seats in Maharashtra are being held in five phases from April 19 to May 20 and votes will be counted on June 4. Assembly polls are due in the state later this year.
