In Maharashtra political quicksand, MVA and Mahayuti lock horns for supremacy in Latur district

Latur, Nov 9 (PTI) Congress MLA brothers Amit Deshmukh and Dhiraj Deshmukh are pitted against their BJP challengers, including Congress stalwart Shivraj Patil Chakurkar's daughter-in-law Archana Patil Chakurkar, in Latur district for the November 20 elections.

The Deshmukh brothers are banking on the political legacy of their late father and ex-CM Vilasrao Deshmukh, a Congress bigwig from Latur district.

Former minister Amit Deshmukh will square off against Archana Patil in the Latur City segment while Dhiraj will take on BJP MLC Ramesh Karad in the Latur Rural seat.

The campaign centres around comparing Congress' contribution in developing sugar factories, district banks, institutions, and achievements under the erstwhile MVA government with the incumbent Mahayuti dispensation's work.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi of Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) is locked in a direct contest with the Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP across all the six Assembly constituencies in Latur district.

In the 2019 assembly elections, these six constituencies were split equally between Congress, NCP (undivided), and BJP.

Archana Patil, the daughter-in-law of former Lok Sabha speaker and Union home minister Shivraj Patil Chakurkar, exuded confidence that she would win against Amit Deshmukh.

A prominent member of the Lingayat community, Archana Patil had left the Congress to join the BJP in March.

In Udgir constituency, a two-way contest is shaping up between Minister for Sports and Youth Welfare Sanjay Bansode, who belongs to the NCP headed by Ajit Pawar, and ex-MLA Sudhakar Bhalerao, fielded by the NCP (SP).

In the Ahmedpur-Chakur segment, NCP and NCP (SP) nominees Babasaheb Patil and Vinayakrao Patil are facing each other.

Political observers said Babasaheb Patil enjoys a slight edge over his challenger due to the extensive network of sugar factories, banks, and institutions led by him.

In Nilanga, the main battle lies between BJP's former minister Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar and Congress' Abhay Salunke. The BJP's strong grassroots network is an advantage for Nilangekar.

Sitting BJP MLA from Ausa, Abhimanyu Pawar, has thrown his hat in the ring against Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Dinkar Mane, an ex-MLA.

Water scarcity, unemployment and Maratha reservation demand are prominent issues in poll campaigning in Latur district, which falls under the arid Marathwada region.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress wrested the Latur constituency from BJP. PTI COR NSK