Rupawatess entry to make contest tough for 55 factions

There is a triangular contest in the Shirdi Lok Sabha constituency where the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has renominated the sitting MP Sadashiv Lokhande against the former MP and Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Bhausaheb Wakchaure and the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) nominee and former Congress leader Utkarsha Rupawate.

The entry of Rupawate has made the contest tough for both Lokhande and Wakchaure. For these three nominees, the contest is an acid test as this is likely to be the last election in the reserved constituency if the delimitation process begins in 2026. Even though the election is slated for May 13, campaigning by the three candidates has been lacklustre largely also because of the ongoing heatwave.

For the Shinde faction, it is a challenge to retain supremacy as the party has given yet another chance to Lokhande despite strong resentment from within the party, allies and various organisations due to his lack of connect with the people at the grassroots despite being at the helm for five years.