BJP may soon face a significant setback from Sharad Pawar in light of the upcoming assembly elections in the state, potentially reshaping the political landscape in Kolhapur. Reports suggest that Samarjeetsinh Ghatge, who has been seen as a supporter of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, is likely to join the NCP (SP). Ghatge has called a gathering of activists on August 23, where he may announce his decision. If he does join the Sharad Pawar group, it would deal a major blow to the BJP.
According to sources, Ghatge has organized a meeting at the Shahu Cooperative Sugar Factory. It is expected that in this meeting, Ghatge will gauge the views of the activists regarding his potential move to the NCP (SP). A message was sent to key workers and office bearers late on Tuesday night. Additionally, a public meeting of the Mahayuti is scheduled in Kolhapur on Thursday, which will be attended by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. However, Samarjit Ghatge will not attend this event, further fueling speculation about his imminent entry into the Sharad Pawar group.
Joining likely in September
It is being speculated that Ghatge will officially join the NCP (SP) faction in the first or second week of September, in the presence of Sharad Pawar himself. For the past few days, rumors have circulated that Samarjit Ghatge would join the Sharad Pawar group. It is anticipated that in the upcoming assembly elections, he will contest against Hasan Mushrif of the Ajit Pawar group from the Kagal constituency under the Trumpet symbol.
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Negotiations between Ghatge and the Sharad Pawar group have been ongoing for the past few days. The Sharad Pawar faction had reportedly proposed that Ghatge contest from Kagal under the Trumpet symbol. Kagal's seat is expected to go to Hasan Mushrif, making it unlikely for Samarjit Ghatge to secure a nomination from the Mahayuti. This backdrop led to rumors that the Sharad Pawar group had invited Samarjit Ghatge to join their party. Supriya Sule and Samarjit Ghatge have been in regular communication, and reports indicate that Sharad Pawar himself recently spoke with Ghatge.
Samarjit Ghatge has long been considered a leader within Devendra Fadnavis' faction. Therefore, this move by Sharad Pawar could be a significant blow to Fadnavis. Additionally, Hasan Mushrif, who aligned with Ajit Pawar after the NCP split, may face increased challenges due to this development.
Kagal Constituency
Kagal is an assembly constituency in Maharashtra. In 2019, this constituency was won by the Nationalist Congress Party.Kagal comes under Kolhapur district. In 2019, in the Kagal Assembly elections, NCP candidate Hasan Mushrif secured a victory with 116,436 votes, leading by 28,133 votes and achieving a 44.17% vote share. Independent candidate Samarjeetsinh Ghatge was the runner-up with 88,303 votes, capturing a 33.49% vote share, while SHS candidate Sanjay Anandrao Ghatage came in third with 55,657 votes, accounting for a 21.11% vote share.
