Akola: The Congress party has revealed its contender for the Akola Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra. Abhay Kashinath Patil has been nominated by the party for this seat. Meanwhile, Vanjit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar is also vying for the same position. It's worth noting that Prakash Ambedkar had previously discussed extending support to Congress for Vidarbha seats in exchange for backing in Akola.
Historically, the Akola seat has been under BJP's control. Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, representing the BJP, secured victory in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, marking his fifth consecutive term as MP. Prakash Ambedkar, the leader of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA), had already declared his candidacy for the Akola seat a day before Congress announced its candidate. However, Congress's decision to name its contender for the seat comes as a significant setback for Prakash Ambedkar.
Amidst unresolved conflicts within the constituents of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) regarding seat allocation, VBA included Akola in its list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Despite being a BJP stronghold since 2004, with Sanjay Dhotre winning and retaining the seat in consecutive elections, BJP has chosen his son Anoop as its candidate for the upcoming 2024 election, considering Sanjay's health condition.
While Prakash Ambedkar initially indicated his willingness to support Congress on seven seats and sought their backing for Akola, Congress's decision to field a candidate has dealt a blow to his plans. Sources suggest that in response, Ambedkar may take decisive action by fielding candidates against Congress in retaliation.
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