Maharashtra polls: In BJP bastion Kothrud, Chandrakant Patil locked in triangular contest

In the run-up to the November 20 assembly polls, Kothrud — a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stronghold — had seen internal rifts, with minister Chandrakant Patil having to work harder to secure support from his own party’s ranks.

Though Kothrud has traditionally leaned towards the BJP, dissidence was eventually contained by the saffron party to make contest smooth for Patil, who previously served as the BJP’s state president and currently holds a ministerial role, even as challenges still remain for the party with issues like slow progress of metro rail extension, chaos at Chandani Chowk, and narrow flyover not serving its purpose.

Patil’s key challengers this time are former MLA Chandrakant Mokate of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidate Kishor Shinde. Shinde, who ran a close race against Patil in the 2019 election, is once again vying for the seat and is confident of making it a tough battle. “We want a local candidate and will send the ‘Kolhapur parcel’ back,” Shinde said, referring to Patil’s Kolhapur roots, which have been a sticking point for some BJP workers.

In recent weeks, Patil has contended with resistance from within the BJP itself. Rebel party members Amol Balwadkar and Ujwal Keskar had initially prepared to contest the election against him, citing Patil’s non-local status and calling for a fresh face for Kothrud. Their stance, maintained up until the last moment, was seen as an unusually open challenge to Patil’s candidacy. Ultimately, state-level intervention led to both rebels withdrawing their nominations, allowing Patil to focus on the competition from other parties.

“We have all the leaders working together to ensure win for each candidate,” said Patil, expressing confidence of his victory.

Meanwhile, Mokate, who previously held the seat from 2009 to 2014, has drawn strong support from areas like Kothrud and Bavdhan. “We will achieve victory with the help of many of my friends,” Mokate declared as he launched his campaign. Shiv Sena’s delay in fielding Mokate has only added to the intensity of the contest.

The MNS, which backed the BJP in the recent Lok Sabha elections, is being viewed by some Kothrud voters with scepticism, with some seeing its role as merely intended to split the vote. In 2019, Shinde received cross-party support, but this time, his potential impact on BJP’s prospects remains uncertain.

In addition to Patil, Kothrud’s BJP campaign carries added significance for minister of state for civil aviation and MP Murlidhar Mohol, whose influence is expected to bolster Patil’s campaign, while former MLA Medha Kulkarni, now a Rajya Sabha MP, is also actively working to rally support.

With 23 candidates officially in the fray and a voter base of over 4.3 lakh, Kothrud’s outcome could reflect broader challenges facing BJP’s leadership in Maharashtra.

Key candidates

Chandrakant Patil (BJP)

Chandrakant Mokate (Shiv Sena UBT)

Kishor Shinde (MNS)

Assembly polls

2019-2024: Chandrakant Patil (BJP)

2014-2019: Medha Kulkarni (BJP)

2009-2014: Chandrakant Mokate (Shiv Sena)

Electorate

Voters: 436,472

Nomination forms filed: 23 candidates

Source: Election Commission of India