A significant political realignment has reshaped the upcoming Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC) elections, with the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) forging a new alliance and exiting the Congress-led opposition front.
A New Third Front Takes Shape
In a major development, the NCP (SP) has officially allied with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) to create a third front named the 'Rajashri Shahu Aghadi'. The announcement was made by the party's district president, V B Patil. This move effectively ends the party's association with the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Kolhapur, leaving the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) as the sole partners in that alliance for the local polls.
Patil revealed that the seat-sharing formula for the new front has been finalized. According to the agreement, the AAP and NCP (SP) will contest 25 seats each, while the VBA will fight on 31 seats. Explaining the rationale behind forming a separate coalition, Patil launched a veiled attack on Congress MLC Satej Patil, stating, "Our fight is against Mahayuti and one MVA politician. We want to show our strength to that politician. He is taking the politics of Kolhapur in the wrong direction." He further claimed that his party had requested only 11 seats within the MVA, but the Congress declined the proposal.
Congress Bets on New Faces and Political Families
Meanwhile, the Congress party has released its first list of 48 candidates for the KMC election. In a bid to infuse fresh energy, the party has nominated 29 new faces, with the remainder being former corporators and ex-mayors. Prominent candidates on the list include Rajesh Latkar, Indrajeet Bondre, Sanjay Mohite, and Madhukar Ramane.
The party's strategy also involves nurturing political families, as it has awarded tickets to two candidates each from three families of former corporators. Former corporator Indrajeet Bondre is contesting from Ward 8, while his wife, Mayuri, is in the fray from Ward 20. Similarly, former corporator Rahul Shivajirao Mane is contesting from Ward 9, and his wife, Rugveda, is a candidate from Ward 8. Former deputy mayor Bhupal Shete is contesting from Ward 18, and his daughter, Puja, is running from Ward 13.
BJP's Cautious Approach and Political Maneuvering
As the political landscape shifts, the BJP has adopted a cautious stance. State secretary Mahesh Jadhav issued a video statement clarifying the party's position on ticket distribution. He emphasized that candidates who have been asked to file nomination papers should not assume they will automatically receive the party ticket. "We have asked the candidates to file the papers, but it does not mean they will get the ticket," Jadhav stated.
He warned against switching loyalties, asserting, "Also, don't think of another party. The loyalists will be rewarded." Jadhav acknowledged that in an alliance, many worthy candidates might miss out on tickets but assured that the party leadership would take care of them. Political sources suggest that the Congress's initial list, which leaves many seats unannounced, may be an attempt to attract disgruntled aspirants from other parties, a move that has caused concern among BJP functionaries.
The formation of the Rajashri Shahu Aghadi has undoubtedly intensified the electoral battle in Kolhapur, setting the stage for a triangular contest and marking a notable fracture in the opposition's unity at the local level.
