Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Former Speaker Dilip Walse Patil might face challenge for Ambegaon seat

Pune: For seven-time MLA and former Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil, there are challenges this time from his home seat of Ambegaon in Pune district.

In fact, in June-July 2023, when Ajit Pawar crossed from Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) to BJP-led Maha Yuti and took control of the NCP founded by his uncle Sharad Pawar, the biggest jolt to the Maratha strongman was Walse-Patil walking away.

Walse-Patil is the state’s Cooperation Minister in the Eknath Shinde-led government.

Walse-Patil is the son of Dattatray Govindrao Walse-Patil, a close friend of Sharad Pawar.

In fact, Walse-Patil had started as personal assistant to Sharad Pawar and climbed the ladder in Maharashtra politics - to become a minister handling important portfolios and then the Speaker.

“While there were often reports that Ajit Pawar would leave Pawar Saheb, no one ever thought that Dilip Walse-Patil would leave Pawar Saheb,” a senior political observer from Pune said.

And Pawar made his anguish known.

“I had a good relationship with Dattatraya Walse-Patil…it was at his request that I got his son (Dilip Walse-Patil) into politics. I gave him various posts all these years…I made two people (Ajit Pawar and Walse Patil) cabinet ministers,” Sharad Pawar said in one of his election rallies.

To ensure that there is a tough contest, Sharad Pawar-led NCP has fielded Devdatta Nikam, who was once one of the closest aides of Walse-Patil.

"Ambegaon tehsil and people from Ambegaon were not part of the decision (to join Ajit Pawar). But unfortunately, the representative of Ambegaon became a part of it. People were shocked as they had never thought of this," claimed Pawar.

Justifying his stand, however, Walse-Patil, in one of the rallies said, “Many say I left Sharad Pawar Saheb. However, they do not know the internal party issues. There is no question of leaving Pawar Saheb. My respect for him will always be there. We joined the government to complete the development works of our respective constituencies”.

Ambegaon falls under the Shirur Lok Sabha seat which is represented by doctor-turned-actor-turned politician Dr Amol Kolhe, who is with the NCP (SP) and one of the confidantes of Sharad Pawar and NCP Working President Supriya Sule, who is the Baramati MP.