The Maharashtra Congress which is making desperate attempts to get the Sangli Lok Sabha seat is likely to make one last-ditch effort to convince Shiv Sena (UBT) to give up its claim on the constituency.
The Sangli seat has caused bitterness among the Congress and the party led by Uddhav Thackeray with the Shiv Sena (UBT) announcing its decision to field a candidate and refusing to hold any more discussions on seat-sharing.
“The Congress is meeting today to discuss various issues, including the Sangli seat. After the meeting, our leaders might meet Uddhav Thackeray to convince him to allow Congress to field its candidate from Sangli seat,” senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, the Campaign Committee chief of the Congress, said.
Chavan said Congress leaders from Maharashtra have spoken to the party high command about the Sangi seat issue. ”We have also been holding talks with the Shiv Sena but it is refusing to give up its claim. We have told them that the Sangli seat has been traditionally fought by Congress and the party has won it several times… We are still hopeful that the Sena will agree to concede the seat,” he said.
However, two days ago Uddhav Thackeray had ruled out any discussion on seat-sharing. “Now, the seat-sharing discussion will be held in 2029,” he had told reporters in New Delhi.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the party has given up Kolhapur seat to the Congress. ”We will not have representation in the Sangli, Satara, and Kolhapur seats if we give up the Sangli seat. Already we have decided to support Raju Shetti in the Hatkanangle seat. And, in Kolhapur, the Congress wanted to field Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati and we did not oppose. Our party chief himself went to Kolhapur to meet Shahu Maharaj…There is now no question of giving up the Sangli seat,” said Raut.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Vishwajeet Kadam, who had gone to New Delhi to convince top Congress leadership to take up the Sangli seat issue with Sena (UBT) leadership, has said he will not be attending the meeting on Wednesday. “Till the Sangli seat decision is taken, I will not be attending party meetings,” he said.
Kadam said there was unrest among Congress workers in Sangli. “I have nothing against Shiv Sena (UBT). They are our alliance partners in the MVA. But Sangli has been our party’s traditional bastion. Be it former chief minister Vasantdada Patil or my father Patangrao Kadam, they have taken Congress’ ideology to the grassroots level. Sangli, therefore, should remain with the Congress,” he said.
While the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded Chandrahar Patil, the Congress has announced the candidature of Vishal Patil, grandson of former chief minister Vasantdada Patil, from the Sangli Lok Sabha seat. Lok Sabha election 2024 will be held on May 7 in Phase 3 and the votes will be counted on June 4.