The tussle between Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) over the Sangli Lok Sabha constituency doesn't seem to be ending. The official announcement has been made by the Maha Vikas Aghadi to hand over Sangli's seat to Shiv Sena. However, the Congress' interested candidate, Vishal Patil, has not yet withdrawn. Consequently, the Congress is expected to boycott the meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi that is set to take place on Monday. Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party will be attending the meeting.
To promote the candidate Chandrakant Patil from the Thackeray camp, a meeting of the Maha Vikas Aghadi has been organised at the Vishnudas Bhave Natya Griha in Sangli. However, Congress has taken a position of not attending the meeting. Due to the expectations of Vishal Patil's candidacy announcement and the dissatisfaction of the party workers, party leaders will not attend the meeting. There is a possibility that prominent Congress leaders from Sangli district may travel to Nagpur. Maharashtra Congress's in-charge, Ramesh Chennithala, along with Nana Patole, have called these leaders for a meeting.
Meanwhile, invitations for the public meeting have been extended by the Thackeray camp to the leaders of the alliance including Jayant Patil, and Vishwajeet Kadam. Invitation has also been extended to the former Congress minister Satej Patil to attend the meeting with the district Congress. However, Congress leaders are unlikely to show up.
There is strong opposition among local party workers after Vishal Patil was denied nomination from the Sangli Lok Sabha Constituency. Vishal Patil's candidacy has made Congress workers aggressive, demanding answers from the top leadership.
Meanwhile, Congress' top leaders are set to visit Nagpur. A final decision will be made regarding Sangli in today's Nagpur meeting. However, Vishal Patil will remain in Sangli. Therefore, there is a momentum building in Sangli's political landscape.