Maha BJP chief faces combined attack

In his maiden election, high-profile Maharashtra BJP president and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil is facing a combined strategic attack of the Opposition.

Currently an MLC, Patil, who is close to BJP president Amit Shah, is the second in command in the Devendra Fadnavis government.

Patil hails form Kolhapur but is contesting from Kothrud seat of Pune, which was earlier represented by the BJP’s Dr Medha Kulkarni.

In 2014, Medha had defeated Shiv Sena’s Chandrakant Mokate.

Patil, the 60-year-old veteran, is the leading Maharashtra BJP’s charge against NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and his nephew Ajit Pawar.

The Congress-NCP, in a tactical move, has decided to back Kishor Shinde of the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena.

Shinde is confident and expects to be a “giant killer” in this polls.

He had earlier unsuccessfully contested three polls but this time around, he has the backing of the Congress and the NCP.