Vishal Patil, a Congress rebel leader who contested as an Independent candidate, is currently leading in the Sangli Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra, according to the initial trends of the 2024 Lok Sabha election results. Patil opted to run as an Independent candidate after the seat, a traditional stronghold of the Congress in Maharashtra, was allocated to Shiv Sena (UBT) under the INDIA bloc's seat-sharing agreement.
The grandson of Congress stalwart and former Chief Minister Vasantdada Patil, Vishal Patil is currently ahead of BJP’s Sanjaykaka Patil and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray)’s Chandrahar Patil in a three-way contest.
Sanjaykaka Patil secured victory in both the 2019 and 2014 Lok Sabha elections. In 2019, he defeated Swabhimani Paksha candidate Vishal Prakashbapu Patil, and in 2014, he won against Congress’s Pratik Prakashbapu Patil.
The Sangli Lok Sabha seat has historically been a stronghold of the Congress, holding sway from 1962 to 2014, spanning 52 years. It was the bastion of Vasantdada Patil, a three-time Chief Minister of Maharashtra and one of the most prominent political figures in the state. From 1980 to 2014, members of Vasantdada's family consistently represented the seat.
In April, Vishal Patil publicly opposed the decision of the Congress leadership after the INDIA bloc allocated the Sangli seat to the Shiv Sena (UBT). Despite efforts by the Congress leadership to persuade him to withdraw his nomination, Vishal Patil chose to proceed with his candidacy.