Manchar, Ramesh Jadhav
In the politically prestigious Kalamb–Chandoli Budruk Zilla Parishad constituency of Ambegaon taluka, the electoral picture has now become almost clear. A direct political contest is expected between Tulsi Bhor of the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and Preeti Thorat, who is set to join the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) after leaving the Eknath Shinde–led Shiv Sena group.
In the previous Zilla Parishad elections, Tulsi Bhor had defeated Preeti Thorat convincingly. With both leaders once again preparing to face each other, political observers believe that Tulsi Bhor currently holds the upper hand.
Former Cooperation Minister and Ambegaon MLA Dilip Walse-Patil considers the Kalamb–Chandoli Budruk ZP constituency highly sensitive and strategically important. During the last Assembly elections, Devdutt Nikam from Nagapur village, which falls within this ZP constituency, had posed a strong challenge to Walse-Patil and secured a lead of 2,500 votes here. Determined to avoid any setbacks this time, the NCP (Ajit Pawar group) has taken a firm resolve to ensure victory in this key constituency. It is learnt that Walse-Patil himself has charted out a detailed political strategy for the upcoming election.
On the other hand, Preeti Thorat, originally a Shiv Sena (Shinde group) worker, is preparing to formally join the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Since the Kalamb–Chandoli Budruk ZP seat is expected to go to the Sharad Pawar–led NCP as part of seat-sharing arrangements, Thorat will have to switch parties to secure her candidature — a move that is reportedly already finalised. Thus, Preeti Pravin Thorat is likely to be announced as the alliance candidate.
However, a key question remains: Will the voters accept Thorat after her party switch? The constituency has traditionally been considered a stronghold of Walse-Patil. Hence, for Thorat, the battle is expected to be challenging.
During her 2017 tenure, Tulsi Sachin Bhor carried out several people-centric development works across every village in the constituency. Her strong grassroots network and continued presence at the village level are expected to play a crucial role. It is understood that Walse-Patil has once again reposed his confidence in Tulsi Bhor and finalised her candidature from the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
Overall, the upcoming Kalamb–Chandoli Budruk Zilla Parishad election is poised to be a repeat face-off between Tulsi Bhor and Preeti Thorat. However, unlike last time, Thorat is said to have lost regular contact with local voters in many villages over the years. Even if she secures the nomination, her success will depend on how effectively she reconnects with the electorate.
As of now, the political momentum clearly appears to favour Tulsi Sachin Bhor, the candidate of the Mahayuti’s NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
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