Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: He is new to the game, yet his community has a large constituency. He is highly educated and can relate to the common man in a meaningful way. He is an ophthalmologist, so he has a clean image and a people-friendly face. Therefore, the Congress took a “calculated” step to field Shivaji Kalji against incumbent BJP MP Sudhakar Shrangari in a straight fight for the Latur Lok Sabha constituency in Marathwada.
Shrangari is keen to secure a second term, while the BJP is eyeing a hat-trick for the party (Sunil Gaikwad was an MP from 2014-19). Despite the anti-incumbency factor, he is confident of a comfortable victory as people trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“I have facilitated multi-crore works under Jal Jeevan Mission in Latur. Railway connectivity in the city has improved and a railway coach factory has been set up during my tenure. I request people to give me another term to complete more work,” Shrangari said.
On the other hand, Kalji said that “reasonable” voters would not be carried away by the BJP’s false promises and would instead declare him the winner.
“I have Latour’s vision. After becoming an MP, I will focus on addressing farm distress because the maximum selling price offered for farmers’ produce is not right. Unemployment is another problem. Industrial growth has stopped and industrial growth has stopped. Maybe it is because of the water crisis, I will address this Issues on a priority basis.”
Latur has a large Lingayat community population. Being from Jangam, a sub-caste of the Lingayat sect, Kalge has an advantage – he can attract these votes towards him.
Since he is a political novice, local Congress MLA and former minister Amit Deshmukh is campaigning on his behalf. Deshmukh’s family, which includes Amit’s younger brother and Rural MLA (Congress) Dheeraj Deshmukh and their actor brother Riteish Deshmukh, is rallying behind Kalji.
For Shrangari, the BJP will rely on Nilanga MLA Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar and Ausa MLA Abhimanyu Pawar. Moreover, the entry of former Congress MP Basavraj Patel and Archana Patel, daughter-in-law of former Union minister Shivraj Patel Chakurkar, boosted the morale of the BJP’s local unit.
Prakash Ambedkar’s party is also in the race, but its candidate Narsingh Udgirkar could, at best, eat into the vote bank of the Congress or the BJP.
The Latur seat reserved for the SC category will go to the polls on May 7.
Shrangari is keen to secure a second term, while the BJP is eyeing a hat-trick for the party (Sunil Gaikwad was an MP from 2014-19). Despite the anti-incumbency factor, he is confident of a comfortable victory as people trust Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
“I have facilitated multi-crore works under Jal Jeevan Mission in Latur. Railway connectivity in the city has improved and a railway coach factory has been set up during my tenure. I request people to give me another term to complete more work,” Shrangari said.
On the other hand, Kalji said that “reasonable” voters would not be carried away by the BJP’s false promises and would instead declare him the winner.
“I have Latour’s vision. After becoming an MP, I will focus on addressing farm distress because the maximum selling price offered for farmers’ produce is not right. Unemployment is another problem. Industrial growth has stopped and industrial growth has stopped. Maybe it is because of the water crisis, I will address this Issues on a priority basis.”
Latur has a large Lingayat community population. Being from Jangam, a sub-caste of the Lingayat sect, Kalge has an advantage – he can attract these votes towards him.
broadens
For Shrangari, the BJP will rely on Nilanga MLA Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar and Ausa MLA Abhimanyu Pawar. Moreover, the entry of former Congress MP Basavraj Patel and Archana Patel, daughter-in-law of former Union minister Shivraj Patel Chakurkar, boosted the morale of the BJP’s local unit.
Prakash Ambedkar’s party is also in the race, but its candidate Narsingh Udgirkar could, at best, eat into the vote bank of the Congress or the BJP.
The Latur seat reserved for the SC category will go to the polls on May 7.