Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bapusaheb Pathare, the first MLA of the Vadgaon Sheri Assembly constituency (2009-2014), is all set to join the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and contest the upcoming elections.
At a recent gathering, Pathare made it clear that he will join NCP (SP) and contest on the 'tutari' symbol. "I urge you all to tell your relatives and friends to vote for the 'tutari'," he said.
Pathare, who was with the NCP (undivided) earlier, was elected as an MLA in 2009. He contested the polls again in 2014 but was defeated by BJP's Jagdish Mulik. He did not run in the 2019 election and joined the saffron party the same year.
Pathare has also served as a sarpanch and a corporator.
Meanwhile, the battle within the Mahayuti to secure a ticket from Vadgaon Sheri is getting interesting. Incumbent MLA Sunil Tingre of the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP is facing opposition from the alliance partner BJP.
Recently, BJP workers from Vadgaon Sheri have written a letter to Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) member Pankaja Munde, refusing to campaign for Tingre if he is given the ticket to contest the upcoming polls on behalf of the Mahayuti. The BJP workers have put their weight behind Mulik, who according to them has played an important role in expanding the saffron party and its ideology in the constituency.
Besides, Mulik has also publicly targeted Tingre. Last month, ahead of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's visit to Vadgaon Sheri to lay the foundation stones for development works worth ₹300 crore, Tingre put up posters featuring only his party chief's pictures; photos of Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis were notably absent. Subsequently, Mulik slammed Tingre, expressing his displeasure and questioning whether only the BJP and Shiv Sena are expected to adhere to the alliance's principles.
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Mulik wrote, "Should only the BJP and Shiv Sena follow the principle of alliance in Vadgaon Sheri? It is the responsibility of each component party in the Mahayuti to follow the principle of the alliance, but the MLA of Vadgaon Sheri has forgotten this."
