Lok Sabha polls: Filing of nominations for Baramati, Sangli, and other western Maharashtra seats begins today

The most keenly watched contest is going to be between sitting MP Supriya Sule, daughter of veteran leader Sharad Pawar, and Mahayuti candidate Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, in the Pawar family bastion of Baramati.

Another interesting tussle is in Madha, where sitting MP Ranjeetsinh Naik-Nimbalkar of the BJP is all set to face tough competition from former BJP leader Dhariyasheel Mohite-Patil, who is contesting as an NCP (Sharad Pawar) candidate.

In adjoining Solapur, the contest is between Praniti Shinde, daughter of senior Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde, and Ram Satpute of the BJP who was roped in from the neighbouring Madha constituency to retain the seat won by the saffron party in 2019.

The Kolhapur seat will see a straight fight between Congress candidate Shahu Maharaj, a descendant of Maratha king Shivaji, and sitting Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Mandlik.

Another royal family member, Udayanraje Bhosale, is likely to contest the Lok Sabha election as a BJP nominee. He is preparing to contest from the Satara seat, which he had lost in the previous election to Shirniwas Patil of the NCP. However, Bhosale had won the same seat twice in the past as an NCP candidate.

In Sangli, Sanjaykaka Patil of the BJP will try his luck for the third time and is facing a challenge from wrestler-turned-politician Chandrahar Patil of the Shiv Sena (UBT). The seat will witness a triangular fight if Vishal Patil, grandson of former chief minister Vasantdada Patil, of the Congress decides to file his nomination.

The Hatkanagale seat is witnessing a triangular fight among sitting Shiv Sena MP Dhairyasheel Mane, Raju Shetti of the Swabhimani Paksh, and Satyajit Patil Shirudkar of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

The filing of nominations for other western Maharashtra seats – Pune, Shirur, and Maval – would begin next week as their voting day is May 13.