The candidature of Vanchit Vikas Aghadi and Prakash Ambedkar has added colour to upcoming Lok Sabha election at the Solapur constituency, which will record a triangular contest of sorts. Congress veteran Sushilkumar Shinde and BJP's surprise candidate Dr Siddheshwar Shivacharya Mahaswami will be fighting it out with Ambedkar for this poll season. The Solapur Lok Sabha constituency has been dominated by the Congress and after the formation of Maharashtra in 1960, the Congress has won this seat 11 times while the BJP has won it only four times. Out of a total of over 17 lakh voters, 15 per cent consists of Muslims, 13 per cent goes to the scheduled castes and 50 per cent goes to THE OBC, as well as VJNT population. Lingayats have a sizeable population and that is the reason the BJP has fielded Siddheshwar Mahaswami in the fray. Even though there is no caste-based census available, Lingayat voters are nearly 2.5 lakh in number and would prove to be decisive. Muslims constitute 2 lakh among voters while the Marathi-speaking population from Solapur city has always backed the BJP. There are Marathi, Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada-speaking people in Solapur since it is close to Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. Shinde enjoys support from Dalits, Muslims as well as all sections of society being most powerful leader from Solapur. It was because of Modi wave in 2014 that Shinde lost to BJP candidate Sharad Bansode by about 1.5 lakh vote margin. Despite BJP in power Solapur has not witnessed development with water woos still a reality and infighting between two ministers leading to stalling of projects would benefit Shinde. The name of Dr. Siddheshwar Swami was suggested by guardian minister Vijay Deshmukh whose family enjoys honour of being `Mankari' during Siddheshwar annual Yatra. BJP is ruling Solapur municipal corporation and both the Deshmukhs includign Vijay Deshmukh and Subhash Deshmukh are ministers in Devendra Fadnavis cabinet. Shiv Sena also has sizeable presence and since BJP and Sena have inked alliance for Lok Sabha elections, Siddheshwar Swami would have added advantage. Solapur city has middle class votes which are essentially BJP votes. Prakash Ambedkar is grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, father of Indian Constitution and he enjoys support in Dalit, SC, ST population. His alliance with AIMIM would result in diverting majority Muslim votes to Ambedkar which would give Ambedkar an edge. There are around 2 lakh Muslim votes in Solapur Lok Sabha constituency. Veteran journalist Arun Khore who worked in Solapur with leading Marati dailies told DNA that the Solapur battle would be an interesting one for reasons more than one. He said that Shinde is undoubtedly leader of Solapur but his importance within Congress has been reduced by Congress leadership in recent past. The Dalit population in Solapur is treating this election as election to send grandson of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar to Parliament while BJP which is in power has selected a Jangam community religious leader which would make Solapur battle interesting to watch.

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