Amid objection from Congress, Uddhav’s Sena begins ‘Mission Sangli’ campaign
MUMBAI: The power tussle between allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress over Sangli Lok Sabha constituency seems to be getting intense after Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said his party has decided to field wrestler Chandrahar Patil from Sangli district, a stronghold of Congress, which also claimed the seat and wanted to give the ticket to Vishal Patil.
Amid this friction, the Thackeray faction on Friday launched its ‘Mission Sangli’ campaign to woo voters in the district and urged Congress to give up its claim of contesting from the Sangli Lok Sabha seat.
Raut, who began a three-day tour of the constituency on Friday, said the Shiv Sena (UBT) had ceded Kolhapur to the Congress despite the sitting MP being from his party. “We also gave Ramtek and Amravati seats to the Congress. As far as Sangli is concerned, our workers from western Maharashtra wanted to contest the seat. So we decided to exchange the Kolhapur seat with Congress. We as an alliance partner of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are trying to make the Congress candidate as the Prime Minister. So Congress should not claim the Sangli seat,” Raut said.
He also said such differences are bound to come up on one or two seats, Raut added.
Congress leaders, including state president Nana Patole and leaders from Sangli like Vishwajeet Kadam, and Vishal Patil expressed their displeasure over Sena (UBT)’S decision saying that Thackeray did it unilaterally and ignoring the claim of Congress on Sangli constituency which is traditionally a Congress seat. Leaders from the Congress did not turn up to meet Raut in Sangli. While responding to Raut’s visit to Sangli, Nana Patole said that Raut has gone to understand the situation there and to get a sense of his party’s strength.
Under the ‘ Mission Sangli’ campaign, the Thackeray faction aimed at working on social engineering and established connections with Sachin Sathe- grandson of progressive writer-poet late Annabhau Sathe. Interestingly, on Friday, Sachin Sathe, grandson of progressive writerpoet late Annabhau Sathe, joined Sena (UBT) in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray. Annabhau Sathe, an icon of the Matang community, was from Sangli district. The Matang community comes under the scheduled caste. “Annabhau raised his voice against slavery and today dictatorship is on the doors. To defeat those powers, all likeminded people should fight together. So I have joined Sena (UBT).” said Sachin Sathe.