Pune: After former MLA Bapu Pathare joined NCP (SCP) and is expected to contest the assembly poll from Pune's Wadgaon Sheri constituency, the equation has become challenging for sitting NCP MLA Sunil Tingre who also faces a tough fight within Mahayuti where BJP 's former MLA Jagdish Mulik is hoping for a ticket. Pathare, along with his son Surendra and three former PMC corporators joined NCP (SCP) in the presence of Sharad Pawar at his Mumbai residence on Tuesday. Pathare had represented Wadgaon Sheri constituency in 2009 on an NCP ticket.
He joined BJP in 2019 but felt sidelined. Before Pathare, BJP's Samarjeetsinh Ghatge from Kolhapur and former MP Suryakant Patil from Hingoli have joined Pawar. "I will keep working for the progress of the state and I have full faith in the leadership of Sharad Pawar who will take Maharashtra to a new level of development," Pathare said.
Tingre is on a sticky wicket with a series of troubles mounting against him in the last few months. His preparations for the poll received a major blow when his name cropped up in the Porsche car accident in which two youngsters died in Pune. He faced allegations from the opposition that he went to the police station on the night after the accident to help the accused teen.
Former BJP MLA Jagdish Mulik was defeated by Tingre in 2019 when NCP and BJP contested against each other. Even though NCP is in the Mahayuti, Mulik has not given up his claim to the seat making it difficult for Tingre to challenge his o.