Mumbai: Congress MLA Satej Patil is facing severe criticism over his remarks on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj family. The congress leader made some derogatory remarks towards Snusha Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj family.
Madhurima Raje was the official candidate of the Congress for the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024 from the Kolhapur North Constituency. She had withdrawn her candidacy after these comments. Madhurima Raje is wife of former MLA Maloji Raje Chhatrapati and daughter-in-law of Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, the Kolhapur MP of the Congress. The Kolhapur royal family are descendants of iconic Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and legendary social reformer Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj.
Madhurima Raje’s decision to withdraw her candidacy due to the persistence of a rebel Congress candidate in the fray has only intensified the controversy. This incident, coupled with Patil’s subsequent criticism, has been perceived as a attack against the entire lineage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
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The backlash against Patil’s remarks has brought to light the significance of the Chhatrapati lineage in Maharashtra’s politics, which includes two principal representative seats: Satara and Kolhapur. These seats are currently held by MP Udayan Maharaj and Congress MP Shahu Maharaj, respectively.
This is not the first incident of attack against of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s legacy. Earlier, several leaders including Sharad Pawar, Uddhav Thackeray, and Sanjay Raut have made such comments. For instance, Pawar faced criticism over his comments during Yuvraj Sambhaji Raje Chhatrapati’s Rajya Sabha appointment, and Raut stirred controversy by questioning the documentation of Shivaji Maharaj’s descendants.
The issue of encroachments on Vishalgad, a fort connected to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has also come under the spotlight. Patil’s opposition to clearing these encroachments has further aggravated the public, increasing the demand for his apology.
The Assembly polls in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20. The votes for the state will be counted on November 23. The BJP is keen to retain power in Maharashtra along with allies Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance is facing a challenge from the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition of the Congress-NCPSP-Shiv SenaUBT.
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