24 March,2024 06:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Mahadev Jankar to remain in Mahayuti. Pic/BJP
In another blow to NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) ahead of Lok Sabha elections, Dhangar community leader Mahadev Jankar on Sunday vowed to remain in alliance with Mahayuti. Mahayuti consists of BJP, Ekanth Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The decision of the Rashtriya Samaj Party chief Mahadev Jankar comes days after he met Sharad Pawar, who asked him to contest from the Madha Lok Sabha constituency for the upcoming elections.
The change in Jankar's decision was after his meeting with chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar. A joint statement was issued on Sunday after Shinde, Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar met Jankar. The statement said that the country has seen real development under PM Modi's leadership and because of this Jankar has decided to stay with the Mahayuti.
In the meeting, it was decided that one Lok Sabha seat would be allocated to Jankar's party, the statement said. Mahadev Jankar also said that we all will fight together to ensure all Mahayuti candidates win, the statement added.
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Jankar is a Dhangar community leader (the sheperd community) and has huge influence among the Dhangars in western Maharashtra.
The BJP so far has declared 20 candidates from Lok Sabha elections from Maharashtra. It has renominated Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar from the Madha constituency. Jankar had contested from Baramati seat against Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule in 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Madha Lok Sabha constituency came into existence in 2008 after delimitation. The first election from this seat was won by Sharad Pawar in 2009. In 2014, the undivided NCP retained the seat with Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil defeating Sadabhau Khot, a NDA candidate.
Meanwhile, it is speculated that leader Bachhu Kadu from Vidharbha may exit from Mahayuti due his difference with Navneet Rana. Rana is likely to contest Lok Sabha elections on BJP's symbol. Jankar said he will content his candidate from Amravati if Rana is fielded by BJP.
