An independent MP-elect from Maharashtra, Vishal Patil, met Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday and extended his support to the Congress party.
Vishal Patil, a Congress leader, contested as an independent candidate from Sangli after the seat was allocated to Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance partner Shiv Sena (UBT) under the seat-sharing arrangement for the Lok Sabha elections. Uddhav Thackeray refused to relinquish the seat for Congress. Patil won the seat independently, defeating his closest rival, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Sanjay (Kaka) Patil, by 100,053 votes. The Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, Chandrahar Patil, received 60,860 votes.
Congress president Kharge posted on X, “People of Maharashtra defeated the politics of treachery, arrogance, and division. It is a fitting tribute to our inspiring stalwarts like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Mahatma Jyotiba Phule, and Babasaheb Dr. Ambedkar, who fought for social justice, equality, and freedom. Welcoming the support of elected MP from Sangli, Shri Vishal Patil (@patilvishalvp) to the Congress party. Long live the Constitution!”
Patil’s support is a significant boost for Congress, which won 99 seats in the Lok Sabha, improving its tally from 52 in the previous election.
The Congress party and its allies won 30 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra, while the BJP-NCP-Shiv Sena Mahayuti alliance managed only 17 seats.
On Wednesday, members of the INDIA bloc met in the national capital to discuss the outcome of the Lok Sabha election results.
“The constituents of the INDIA bloc thank the people of India for the overwhelming support received by our alliance. The people’s mandate has given a befitting reply to the BJP and their politics of hate and corruption,” Kharge said after the meeting.
“This is a mandate in defense of the Constitution of India and against price rise, unemployment, and crony capitalism, and also to save democracy. The INDIA bloc will continue to fight against the fascist rule of the BJP led by Modi,” he added.
