Tejas Navale

Pune: Dr. Amol Kolhe is not leaving any opportunity to target his opponent and Mahayuti's official candidate for Shirur Lok Sabha Constituency, Shivajirao Aadhalrao Patil. Now, Amol Kolhe has once again pinched Shivajirao Aadhalrao Patil over the Chief Minister's absence while filing his nomination papers.

Referring to Aadhalrao as not a first choice of Mahayuti's Alliance, Amol Kolhe has attacked him, saying he is a dummy candidate. However, Aadhalrao also gave a befetting reply to Amol Kolhe's criticism, saying he is not a dummy candidate but a daddy candidate. As both candidates are criticising each other, the political atmosphere in the constituency has been witnessing an intense tug of war between them.

The voting for Shirur Lok Sabha constituency is scheduled for May 13. On the background of it, both leaders, i.e., Amol Kolhe of Mahavikas Aaghadi and Shivajirao Aadhalrao Patil of Mahayuti, have not been leaving any opportunity to target each other.

A few days ago, Amol Kolhe made a statement in his Bhosari Party activists meeting that the Chief Minister initially wanted to field Chhagan Bhujbal from Shirur Lok Sabha Constituency. However, as Bhujbal refused this request, Aadhalrao was chosen as a backup candidate. At that time also, Amol Kolhe slammed Aadhalrao as a second-choice candidate.

However, yesterday, Kolhe went one step ahead and refereed Aadhalrao as a dummy candidate. He said, "The Chief Minister remained absent while filing his nomination papers, whereas one of the Deputy Chief Ministers only took a roadshow. From this, we can conclude that Aadhalrao is a dummy candidate." He further questioned, "The candidate who is not of the leader's choice, how can I say him to be of the people's choice?"

Replying to these criticisms, Aadhalrao Patil said, "I am not a dummy, but I am a daddy candidate. So Amol Kolhe should understand that he is a dummy candidate and I am his daddy."

Aadhalrao blasted at Kolhe, saying that though he has adopted many villages in Shirur, he is unable to provide them with enough water. Aadhalrao Patil said, "Lots of villages adopted by Kolhe are facing water crisis situations. However, I am quietly helping people in my constituency by providing them with water when others are busy making allegations against me." He further said that he was also providing water to those villages that are adopted by Kolhe.