Lok Sabha elections 2024: The curious case of Unmesh Patil

Unmesh Patil, the MP who is expected to join the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday (right) Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray. File Pic/Shadab Khan

The first major reverse defection this election season was seen as Unmesh Patil, a sitting MP of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who was denied a Lok Sabha poll ticket from Jalgaon, will join the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday. Later, he will file his nomination.

Former MLA Vinod Ghosalkar, who recently lost his son Abhishek in tragic circumstances, told this correspondent that the SS (UBT) will contest the election in the Mumbai North constituency too. On the other hand, Congress district president Kalu Budhelia has also gone on record to this correspondent, claiming that his party has already asked him to start his campaign work in the Mumbai North constituency.

Earlier row

SS (UBT) had last month declared Amol Kirtikar in North West, Sanjay Patil in North East, Anil Desai in South Central and Arvind Sawant in South as candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. After that unilateral announcement was made, Congress made its objections clear and sent a strong message to the Thackeray faction. But the message seems to have not gone through, as the SS (UBT) has now claimed another constituency in Mumbai, which has a total of six seats.

‘I have started work'

Ghosalkar told mid-day: "I have started meeting office-bearers and we are starting to discuss how to take the campaign forward. My party chief [Thackeray] has asked me to start preparing for the election. I am just following his orders."

Congress district president Kalu Budhelia

‘My party gave go ahead'

In a similar vein, Kalu Budhelia also told mid-day: "The [Congress] party has asked me to start preparation for the election. I am willing to contest elections in the Mumbai North constituency. I have started preparation."

Keeping the calm

Congress Mumbai Region President and MLA Varsha Gaikwad tried to defuse the situation, when contacted by mid-day, and sought to downplay the rift. She said nothing has been finalised. "We have demanded an equal share in the city [from our allies]. The discussions are going on. Our leaders will take the final decision," Gaikwad told mid-day.

Formidable foe awaits

While the BJP's Ram Naik has been elected from the Mumbai North constituency in five Lok Sabha elections from 1989 to 1999 and Congress candidates have been elected in two elections (2004 and 2009), the most recent two elections have been won by the BJP's Gopal Shetty, due to which the seat is considered one of the BJP's safest seats in the city.

This is the reason the party announced that Union Minister Piyush Goyal will fight his first ever election from this safe seat. Now, the bickering between the SS (UBT) and the Congress will only strengthen his hand.

Community break up

As per voter data, Marathi voters are between 30 per cent and 32 per cent in the Mumbai North constituency. Gujarati and Marwadi voters combine for around 28 per cent and North Indian voters are another 20 per cent. Muslims round it off with around 9 per cent.

May 13
Day Jalgaon goes to polls