Vishal Patil's big Sangli win: How the rebel brought Congress back to its old bastion

In a remarkable turn of events, Congress rebel and independent candidate Vishal Patil achieved a historic victory in the triangular contest for the Sangli parliamentary seat. Patil, the grandson of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Vasant Dada Patil, emerged victorious in a fiercely fought battle against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sanjay Kaka Patil and Shiv Sena (UBT) contender Chandrahar Patil.

Expressing his gratitude after the win, Vishal Patil stated, “The public took this election into their own hands. I am the original Congressman, and my fight was not against the Congress but to save the party in Sangli district.”

Sangli had been a focal point of political drama ever since the Lok Sabha elections were announced, mainly due to seat-sharing disputes between the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), both key members of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance. A significant number of Congress workers, preferring to remain anonymous, reportedly supported Vishal Patil's campaign discreetly. This support was instrumental in his success, particularly after he lost the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate. This time, however, Patil managed to garner sympathy votes due to the contentious manner in which the Shiv Sena (UBT) selected Chandrahar Patil as their candidate.

Apart from the unique situation in Sangli, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) performed well overall, reclaiming its foothold in western Maharashtra, a region historically dominated by leaders such as Sharad Pawar. Pawar's influence in the region had been diminishing since 2014, making this resurgence significant for the MVA.

The seat-sharing negotiations between the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) were marked by prolonged disputes, especially over the Sangli seat, which lies in Western Maharashtra. For weeks, the two parties were locked in a tussle, with Shiv Sena (UBT) ultimately nominating wrestler Chandrahar Patil as their candidate unilaterally. Congress leader Vishwajeet Kadam had even appealed to the party's central leadership to allow Vishal Patil to contest from Sangli, but his efforts were in vain as the Shiv Sena (UBT) prevailed in the decision-making process.

Sangli, a long-standing Congress stronghold, has consistently supported the party since 1957. This historic loyalty was only interrupted in 2014 when the seat was claimed by the BJP. In the 2019 elections, the Congress opted not to field a candidate, instead allotting the seat to its ally, Swabhimani Paksha, who nominated Vishal Patil as their candidate. Patil returned back to Congress, rebelled and contested as an Independent this year, and won.