Kolhapur Politics Heats Up: Satej Patil's Move Could Upset BJP's Dominance

• Kolhapur, a long-time Congress stronghold, recently saw Mahayuti unfurl its saffron flag in municipal elections.
• Congress leader Satej Patil made Congress the largest party with 34 seats but fell short of a majority.
• Mahayuti, comprising BJP (26 seats) and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) (15 seats), secured a clear majority.
• Reports suggest a potential alliance between Congress and Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) could shift power dynamics.
• If Shinde faction supports Congress, with 34 Congress seats and 15 Shinde faction seats, they could form a government, potentially sidelining BJP.

Why It Matters: Satej Patil's strategic move and potential Congress-Shinde alliance could challenge BJP's hold in Kolhapur.