MUMBAI: NCP-Congress tussle over Ahmednagar South Lok sabha constituency continues even as Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil has indicated that his son Dr Sujay might join the BJP if the impasse continues.
The NCP has been contesting the Ahmednagar-South Lok Sabha seat for around 20 years now and of these the party has lost the seat for last three terms in row. Hence, Vikhe-Patil had suggested that the seat should be contested by the Congress this year. Vikhe had been eyeing the seat for his son Dr Sujay for a long time. NCP Chief Sharad Pawar too on Friday had expressed willingness to leave the seat for Congress. However, within hours state NCP chief Jayant Patil and former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar clarified that the NCP is in no mood to hand over the seat to the Congress.
The area under this constituency has been a stronghold of the Vikhe-Patil family for a long time. The family has developed a huge web of cooperatives and educational institutes in Pravaranagar area. While Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil currently holds the post of leader of opposition in the state assembly, his father Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil had represented the Ahmednagar Suth seat in Lok Sabha for eight times.
While reacting to the recent developments, Dr Sujay said that he is very sure that he would be contesting the forthcoming election and is least concerned about from which side to contest it. He also indicated that the impasse is intentionally being created to humiliate his father and he shall make any decision which would not create any problem for the politics that his father is pursuing.
When asked Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil about the speculations that Dr Sujay might join the BJP to contest the seat as their candidate, he said, “Such speculations are indeed there but, that is the decision which Dr Sujay has to make for himself.”
These remarks of Vikhe-Patil are now being interpreted as his indication that his son would be joining the BJP to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.