Lok Sabha polls: Lack of water, farm prices, OBCs to decide the winner in Maharashtra's Madha
Sharad Pawar of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction) had roped in Dhangar (shepherd) community leader Mahadev Jankar to contest from the Madha seat against BJP MP Ranjitsingh Nimbalkar.
With Jankar being a Dhangar leader and the constituency having 5 lakh Dhangar voters, Jankar would have a strong chance of victory if he had contested. However, the BJP lured Jankar to its side and got him to contest from Parbhani, supported by its two allies — the Shiv Sena and NCP (Ajit).
Sharad Pawar then managed to poach Vijaysinh Mohite Patil and his nephew Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil to his faction of the NCP. The latter has now been given a ticket to contest against BJP's Ranjtsinh Nimbalkar.
Vijaysinh Mohite Patil is not a candidate but him joining the NCP (SP) has livened up the contest as he has a sizeable influence in the constituency. In the 2014 polls, when the Modi wave swept the state, Mohite Patil managed to win from Madha. However, in 2019, he ditched the NCP as the BJP offered his son Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil an MLC post. In return, the BJP got Mohite Patil to support Ranjitsinh Nimbalkar for the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. BJP leaders said that things have soured in the last five years between Nimbalkar and Mohite Patil. Hence, the NCP(SP) decided to field his nephew for the seat. The merry-go-round in Madha might be confusing and frustrating for the voters, but Madha is a microcosm of what's happening in Maharashtra politics. Backed by his uncle, Dhairyasheel has been giving the BJP a run for its money. The
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