The Vikhe-Patil family has orchestrated a dramatic political resurgence in Maharashtra, overturning previous setbacks from the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In a high-stakes battle during the state assembly elections, the family, led by Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, secured significant victories, ensuring that their political rivals faced heavy defeats.
Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil retained his Shirdi seat, which he has held since 1995, by defeating Congress candidate Prabhavati Ghogare with an impressive margin of over 70,000 votes. The family’s comeback was especially crucial after the loss of Sujay Vikhe-Patil in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, where he was beaten by NCP’s Nilesh Lanke. His defeat had cast a shadow over the Vikhe-Patils’ political future, prompting an intense campaign for the assembly polls.
The Mahayuti alliance, which supported the Vikhe-Patils, swept 10 out of the 12 assembly seats in Ahmednagar district, a stark contrast to the 2019 results when Congress-NCP alliance had a stronghold. In an unexpected twist, BJP loyalist Amol Khatal ousted Congress stalwart Balasaheb Thorat in Sangamner, while NCP’s Kashinath Date defeated Rani Lanke in Parner. These results delivered significant blows to the MVA (Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi) coalition.
Sujay Vikhe-Patil addressed their comeback, saying, “Our political foes made numerous allegations. We waited patiently, and when the opportunity arose, we delivered a fitting response.” The strategic planning by the Vikhe-Patil family to unseat their adversaries through local alliances and calculated candidate placements paid off with these crucial victories.
The Vikhe-Patil family’s shift from previous setbacks to a victorious campaign has been a game-changer for Maharashtra’s political landscape. Political analysts, like Pratap Asbe, emphasize that the Vikhe-Patil family’s history of rebellion and shifting allegiances has kept them resilient, making them formidable in the ever-changing political scene.
