Lok Sabha Elections 2019: BJP’s Sujay Vikhe-Patil takes on NCP’s Sangram Jagtap in Ahmednagar seat

The contest for Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency is expected to be a tough one as two political families are set to fight it out. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has decided to field its 33-year-old MLA, Sangram Jagtap, from the constituency. He will face 36-year-old Sujay Vikhe Patil, who recently joined the BJP.

Sujay is the son of Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra assembly and senior Congress leader. Sangram represents Ahmednagar Assembly constituency and his father Arun Jagtap is an NCP MLC (Member of Legislative Council).

State NCP president Jayant Patil on Wednesday said the party decided to field Sangram .

Moreover, his father-in-law Shivaji Kardile is a BJP MLA from Rahuri Assembly constituency, which is part of the Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat, making the contest an interesting electoral battle. Kardile was in the NCP before joining BJP in 2009

Ahmednagar constituency in western Maharashtra has been in the news for the past few weeks as Sujay was firm on contesting the elections from the seat. His family has a stronghold in the constituency, but the seat came under NCP quota as per the seat agreement between allies Congress and NCP.

To avoid any revolt, Congress asked NCP to exchange Ahmednagar with any other seat, but NCP chief Sharad Pawar refused to budge.

Last week, Sujay switched over to the BJP after the saffron party assured him a ticket from the constituency, ignoring sitting MP Dilip Gandhi, a three-term MP.

Earlier, NCP was deliberating on fielding Sangram’s father (Arun), but later decided to field a young face against a youth (Sujay), an NCP insider said.

Also Read | Ahmednagar a ‘hot seat’, Sujay Vikhe-Patil’s electoral debut could re-draw equations

Ahmednagar has six Assembly constituencies — Shevgaon, Rahuri, Parner, Ahmednagar City, Shrigonda, and Karjat-Jamkhed.

Of these, three seats — Shevgaon, Rahuri, Karjat-Jamkhed are with BJP, two seats — Ahmednagar City and Shrigonda are with NCP and one Assembly seat Parner is with Shiv Sena.

NCP leaders believe that Sangram has an advantage as he is the sitting MLA, his father is an MLC, his father-in-law (Kardile) is also an MLA and Shrigonda MLA Rahul Jagtap is from NCP as well.

“The other BJP MLA Monika Rajale is also not on good terms with the Vikhe Patil family and Sujay’s selection will also upset Gandhi, which may give an extra advantage to Sangram,” said a senior NCP leader. Both Sangram and Kardile are accused in a murder case of two Sena workers Sanjay Kotkar and Vasant Thube.

From 1952 to 1997, Ahmednagar was with Congress. In 1998, Sujay’s grandfather Balasaheb Vikhe Patil won the seat on a Shiv Sena ticket. In 1999, BJP’s Dilip Gandhi won it for the first time. The BJP [NS Pharande] again lost the seat in 2004, this time to NCP’s Tukaram Gadakh and since 2009, Gandhi has won the seat twice.

Also Read | Lok Sabha elections 2019: Maharashtra set for two-cornered contest