Nana Patole hints on more BJP leaders to join Congress, small parties to go solo

Maharashtra Congress president hints at more BJP leaders joining before Assembly elections, citing worker resentment in allies.

After former Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Shishupal Patle from the Bhandara-Gondiya Lok Sabha constituency joined the Congress Party on Friday, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole hinted that more BJP leaders will join Congress before the upcoming Assembly elections, alleging the “resentment” among the worker in allies of the Mahayuti.

Accusing the government of taking commission, Former Bhandara-Gondiya MP Nana Patole, who also resigned from BJP in 2017 and subsequently joined Congress, said, “Party leaders and workers from BJP and other alliances are unsatisfied with the working style, many approached us, and in coming time many big leaders will join Congress.”

Shishupal Patle’s entry ahead of the Assembly election is being seen as a way to strengthen Congress’s influence in the constituency, which falls under the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra. He hails from the Powar community under the Nomadic Tribe(NT), which has a significant presence in the region. Mr. Patle resigned from BJP last month, citing the party’s apathy towards farmers and unemployment issues. On Friday, he said, “I have worked so long for BJP that it has changed and has become the party of businessmen and contractors.”

As the Maharashtra assembly elections approach near, the small party and independent candidate from ruling alliances have been in a race to claim seats in their strong-hold areas. Jansurajya Shakti Party, an ally of Mahayuti demanded to contest from four seats of Kolhapur and a few seats from Sangli and Satara across Maharashtra, making it atleast 15 seats.

Former minister and Shahuwadi MLA Vinay Vilasrao Kore led-Jansurajya Shakti Party claimed four seats, including Hatkanangle, Chandgad, Karvir, and Shahuwadi-Panhala. Mr. More wants Karvir-based social activist Santaji Ghorpade to be given the ticket. He said, “The Party has grown since 2004, and we expect Mahayuti to give us requested seats.”

Out of 288, Kolhapur houses 10 Assembly constituencies consisting of Chandgad, Hatkanangale, Ichalkaranji, Kagal, Karvir, Kolhapur North, Kolhapur South, Shahuwadi, Shirol and Radhanagari.

Another supporter of the Mahayuti, an independent MLA Prakash Awade from Ichalkaranji constituency, announced his son Rahul Awade’s candidacy for the same seat for the upcoming elections. It came after Kolhapur’s Guardian Minister, Hasan Mushrif’s candidacy was announced for the Kagal seat.