Veteran Congress leader and former Maha Minister Shalinitai Patil passes away

Mumbai, Dec 20 (IANS) Shalinitai Patil, veteran Congress leader and wife of the late former Chief Minister of Maharashtra Vasantrao Patil, passed away on Saturday at her residence in Mumbai's Mahim at the age of 94. 
 

The former Minister had been battling age-related ailments for the past few months.

According to family sources, the last rites of Shalinitai Patil will be performed at her native village in the Koregaon taluka of Maharashtra's Satara district.

With her passing, an era of fearless and outspoken politics in Maharashtra comes to an end.

Known as the "Tigress of Maharashtra Politics" -- a title bestowed upon her by Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray -- Shalini Patil was a formidable force in the state's political landscape.

While she rose to prominence as the spouse of Vasantrao Patil, she quickly carved out her own independent identity through her aggressive leadership and administrative grit.

Beyond her fierce political reputation, Shalinitai Patil's life was defined by a personal journey of resilience.

Her marriage to the late former Chief Minister Vasantrao Patil was a union born out of unique circumstances -- a decision that faced public scrutiny at the time but eventually evolved into a powerful political partnership.

She served as the State Revenue Minister in the Cabinet of former Maharashtra Chief Minister A.R. Antulay.

Shalinitai Patil is famously remembered for her pivotal role in the 1981 political crisis that led to the resignation of the then Chief Minister A.R. Antulay.

She represented the Sangli Lok Sabha constituency as a Member of Parliament and served as an MLA from the Koregaon Assembly constituency (Satara) for a decade between 1999 and 2009.

In her later years, she became a vocal proponent for Maratha reservation, often taking a stand that challenged the political establishment.

Shalinitai Patil hogged the headlines in the recent years over controversy regarding Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party Chief Ajit Pawar primarily centered on the Jarandeshwar Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana (a cooperative sugar factory) in Satara.

This dispute became one of the most high-profile legal and political battles in Maharashtra's cooperative sector.

Shalinitai Patil openly accused Ajit Pawar of using his power within the bank to manipulate the auction.

She alleged that the purchasing company was a "dummy" or shell entity linked to Ajit Pawar's relatives, effectively "grabbing" the factory from the cooperative fold to turn it into a private asset.

The allegations were repeatedly denied by Ajit Pawar.

News of Shalinitai Patil's demise has sent a wave of mourning across Maharashtra.

Leaders across the political spectrum have expressed grief, remembering Shalinitai Patil as a leader who stood firmly by Vasantrao Patil while maintaining her own distinct political voice.

Satara MP Udayanraje Bhonsle, who shared a close bond with Shalinitai Patil, often referred to her as a mother figure.

--IANS

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