What was Sena MP doing at Congress event in Kolhapur?

Sena MP Sanjay Mandlik (left) with Congress leader Satej Patil

Even before seat-sharing talks commence between the Shiv Sena and BJP, Sena's Kolhapur MP Sanjay Mandlik on Thursday attended an event promoting Ruturaj Patil (D Y Patil's grandson) as the Congress candidate for the upcoming Assembly polls.

Mandlik attended 'Satej Savand' organised by former Congress minister Satej Patil to project his nephew Ruturaj as the Congress candidate for the Kolhapur South seat.

Speaking to mid-day over the phone, Satej Patil said, "Sena's Lok Sabha candidate had asked for our support in the LS polls and in return he had assured support to our candidate for the Kolhapur South Assembly seat."

NCP's MP Dhananjay Mahadik and Satej Patil don't get along well. During the Lok Sabha polls too, Satej and Youth Congress leader Ruturaj had openly endorsed Sena's candidature instead of Mahadik's.

Mandlik said the event was "not a Congress party function" but organised by the Patil family. "I explained to the family to consider Ruturaj contesting on Sena's ticket. If they do so, we can help the family in a much better manner but the decision is completely theirs," he said, adding, "Patil personally helped me in whatever way he could but the Congress leader or Patil family members were never present on any political platforms during the Lok Sabha polls."

He said that the late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray had taught them "to honour promises and return favours and obligation," and that he would fight the Congress and NCP.

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