Pune: In Ambegaon Assembly constituency, a key political battleground, tension is mounting between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.
This constituency has long been represented by Dilip Walse Patil of the Nationalist Congress Party, but shifting political equations in the state have led to a fierce contest for the seat.
Dilip Walse Patil, who has held the Ambegaon seat for seven consecutive terms, faces increasing pressure as both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena have ramped up their campaigns in the constituency.
While there was speculation that Walse Patil’s daughter, Purva Dilip Walse Patil, would contest the upcoming elections, Walse Patil recently clarified during his “Jan Sanman Yatra” that she would not be running for office. He also added that he is reluctantly contesting the election himself.
The Shiv Sena has demanded that the Ambegaon seat be allocated to them within the Mahayuti alliance, revealing internal tensions. Meanwhile, Devdatt Nikam of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is being considered as a candidate for the Maha Vikas Aghadi in the constituency.
The Ambegaon Assembly seat is considered crucial due to the development work carried out during the Mahayuti government under Walse Patil's leadership.
Walse Patil’s influence in the area remains significant, but the upcoming elections will determine whether he can retain his stronghold or if a new leader will emerge in the constituency.
In the 2019 Assembly elections, Walse Patil won with a commanding margin, securing 1,26,120 votes against Shiv Sena’s Rajaram Bhivsane Bankhele, who received 59,212 votes. Walse Patil’s victory margin was 66,775 votes.
The Ambegaon constituency (No. 196) had a total of 2,70,133 voters in the 2019 elections, with 1,41,197 male voters and 1,28,936 female voters.
