A pentagonal fight is expected in the Pathri assembly constituency in Parbhani district as five candidates with a stronghold in the constituency are in the fray, along with 11 other candidates. As a result, the votes will be divided, which could impact the results.
In the Pathri constituency, Congress’ candidate and sitting MLA Suresh Varpudkar is the official candidate of the Mahavikas Aghadi and is trying his luck again in the 2024 election. Mahayuti NCP’s legislative council member Rajesh Vitekar, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction’s Babajani Durrani, Rashtriya Samaj Party’s Saeed Khan, and independent Madhavrao Phad are the major candidates. Similarly, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate Suresh Phad is also contesting. In all, there are 14 candidates in the fray.
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Significant vote division by small players
In the contest, there is one sitting MLA, one sitting MLC, and a former MLA, which could lead to the division of votes and have a severe impact on the results. Similarly, the other candidates may also cause significant losses to the major contenders.
It is very difficult to analyze the victory of any candidate at the moment. Varpudkar is the most senior leader and has the experience of contesting elections and formulating winning strategies. He has a stronghold, especially in the rural areas. On the other hand, Vitekar has a good hold over Sonpeth taluka. Former MLA Babajani Durrani has a stronghold in Pathri city, and Saeed Khan has also expanded his voter base. Madhavrao Phad, an independent, also has a good hold in the constituency, as his father, Madhavrao Phad, had done ample work in this area. Hence, the pentagonal fight in the Pathri constituency is set to be very interesting.