Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had earlier made a bold statement, asserting that he would step away from politics if any of the 50 MLAs who joined him fell. Shahajibapu Patil, who gained notoriety for his statement "What is a tree, what is a donkey" during the Guwahati factional meeting, has now suffered a crushing defeat in the Sangola Assembly constituency.
Patil, who was a key supporter of Shinde during the political upheaval, has been swept aside by the Mahayuti’s wave. He lost to Dr. Babasaheb Deshmukh of Shekap by a significant margin of 25,384 votes. This marks a major shift in the constituency’s political landscape.
The Sangola seat has long been a stronghold of the Shekap party, with Ganpatrao Deshmukh winning the seat 11 times. Shahajibapu Patil had contested against Deshmukh six times and won in 2019 after Deshmukh decided not to run due to his age. However, with Deshmukh’s return to the political arena, Babasaheb Deshmukh has reclaimed the seat, underscoring the continuing dominance of Shekap in the region.
Patil’s defeat serves as a significant reminder of the changing political tides in Maharashtra, where regional parties like Shekap continue to hold strong influence, despite the shifting allegiances in the larger political landscape.