Summary:
Three assembly segments – Akkalkot, South Solapur and Solapur North – of Solapur Lok Sabha constituency have a large number of Lingayat voters. Kolhapur: BJP has almost finalised the candidature of spiritual leader Jai Siddheshwar Shivacharya, who has a large following in the Lingayat community, for the Solapur Lok Sabha constituency. A meeting of Lingayat community members last week warned that any spiritual leader who enters politics will face the community’s wrath. “The announcement will be made after completing all internal formalities,” a top BJP leader said.BJP believes Jai Siddheshwar Shivacharya can defeat veteran leader Sushilkumar Shinde in view of the social composition of the constituency. He could be pitted against 77-year-old veteran Congress leader and former Union minister Sushilkumar Shinde.Top sources in BJP told TOI the actual announcement of the candidature of Jai Siddheshwar Shivacharya remained a mere formality now..