LokSabha 2019: Rivalry between Pawar, Vikhe-Patil clans for seat

PUNE: The fight in Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency is mainly between two politically influential families from the sugar belt of western Maharashtra. In the district, there are more than 17 sugar factories. Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat is crucial for the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and cooperative movement legend Padmashree Vithalrao Vikhe-Patil families. 

Sujay Vikhe Patil, son of senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, was interested in contesting the election on the Congress ticket. However, his candidature was opposed by NCP chief Pawar. So he decided to join the BJP. Clearly taking advantage of the ongoing strife between Vikhe-Patil and Pawar families, the BJP decided to give a chance to Sujay. Following this development, the NCP gave the ticket to sitting MLA Sangram Jagtap. 

Ahmednagar Lok Sabha constituency has six Vidhan Sabha segments - Shevgaon, Rahuri, Parner, Ahmednagar, Shrigonda and Karjat Jamkhed.  The district has 53 per cent Hindu population and  remaining from other communities including Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and Jains.

The rivalry between Pawar and Vikhe Patil dates back to 1991. Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil, father of Radhakrishna was contesting Ahmednagar Lok Sabha election as an indepedent with support of Janata Dal. He was defeated by Congress candidate Yashwantrao Gadakh under the leadership of Sharad Pawar, who then in Congress, was chief minister. Balasaheb filed a lawsuit accusing Pawar of allegedly winning the election through corrupt electoral practices. The Bombay High Court cancelled the 1991 election and prohibited Pawar and Gadakh from contesting any election for six years.

Pawar challenged the HC order and got relief from the Supreme Court. However, Gadakh had to suffer the ban for six years. 

Balasaheb Vikhe-Patil won the election in 1998 on Shiv Sena ticket and enjoyed ministerial birth in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government at the Centre. He passed away in 1996. Sharad Pawar separated  from the Congress and formed the NCP in 1999. But the conflict between Vikhe-Patil and the Pawar family continues till date.    

The BJP won the Ahmednagar seat for the first time in 1999. The BJP has been winning the seat since 2009 and has fielded Sujay Vikhe-Patil. Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil had demanded the the Ahmednagar seat ticket for his son from the Congress leadership. However, the NCP refused to leave this seat to the Congress from their quota. Finally, Sujay Vikhe-Patil joined the BJP. The BJP was searching for the right candidate as there was anti-incumbency against sitting MP Dilip Gandhi who won the seat consecutively in 2009 and 2014 and in 1999 Lok Sabha polls. The Vikhe-Patil family has deep-rooted connection in Nagar district. The family controls cooperative banks, colleges and sugar factories due to cooperative movement. 

The NCP has given the ticket to sitting MLA Sangram Jagtap, who is the son of sitting MLC Arun Jagtap of the NCP. Earlier, Sharad Pawar wanted to give the ticket to Arun Jagtap. However, senior leader of NCP Ajit Pawar insisted on giving the ticket to Sangram. Following BJP’s decision to give the ticket to Sujay Vikhe-Patil, Pawar took the decision to give chance to a young leader. The Jagtap family has a strong political hold in local self-government. However, Sangram Jagtap was among four held for murder of two Shiv Sena party workers in Nagar. Sujay Vikhe-Patil is making this an election issue.