NCP leaves Kolhapur for Congress to fight Raju Shetti

MUMBAI: Sharad Pawar’s Nationalist Congress party (NCP) has decided to withdraw from Kolhapur’s Hatkanangale seat in Maharashtra, and has asked for Raigad in return.

Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) leader Raju Shetti, who had won the Hatkanangale seat in 2009, is contesting this time as an NDA alliance partner from the same place. Pawar’s decision to withdraw from one of his bastions is seen as a tacit acknowledgement that there’s considerable resentment among the farmers in the region and NCP doesn’t have anyone to take on Shetti.

“We have told Congress that they can take Hatkanangale seat. We have asked for Raigad. So, the tally of us fighting 22 and Congress contesting from 26 seats remains the same.

There could be some exchange of seats in Vidarbha where Congress may want to field a Muslim candidate, but that’s not final yet,” said Nawab Malik, spokesperson of the NCP.

Taking advantage of NCP’s discomfort, SSS is moving in for the kill: while Shetti is contesting from Hatkanangale, his deputy Sadhabhau Khot will fight from Madha in Solapur where Pawar himself contested last time.