Maharashtra assembly elections 2019: PWP loses its seat, Shiv Sena makes debut in Sangola

PUNE: The Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), which only held sway over Sangola in

Solapur

, lost the seat on Thursday. PWP candidate and veteran leader

Ganpatrao Deshmukh

's grandson Aniket lost by a wafer-thin margin of 768 votes to Shiv Sena's

Shahaji

Bapu Patil.


This is Sena's first win in the drought-prone constituency, which has been a PWP stronghold with Ganpatrao Deshmukh representing the seat 11 times. Even Patil had contested against the senior Deshmukh six times in the past, but never won. Considering his age, 93-year old Ganpatrao Deshmukh decided not to contest the 2019 polls.

Deshmukh holds the record for being the oldest and longest-serving elected representative in the state legislature, having lost only twice - in 1972 and 1995 - from Sangola. Considering this history, Patil's win is one of the biggest upsets in the state.

Aniket had taken a lead when the counting began, however, by the end of counting, Patil won. The PWP had first decided on industrialist Bhausaheb Rupnar as Ganpatrao's successor and its nominee. But the party changed its decision later and nominated Aniket, a PG medical student, following opposition to Rupnar's nomination. A miffed Rupnar then joined Sena.


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