NCP (SP) fields Govindrao Mokate from Rahuri after former MLA refuses to contest

Tanpure, a former minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and son of former MLA Prasad Tanpure, decided not to enter the fray after meeting Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil at his office in Rahuri

Mumbai: The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) on Monday declared Govindrao Mokate as its candidate for the bypoll to the Rahuri assembly constituency, after its former MLA Prajakt Tanpure refused to contest the election and reportedly turned incommunicado since afternoon.

NCP (SP) fields Govindrao Mokate from Rahuri after former MLA refuses to contest

The announcement was made by the party’s Maharashtra president Shashikant Shinde.

Tanpure, a former minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and son of former MLA Prasad Tanpure, decided not to enter the fray after meeting Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan and BJP minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil at his office in Rahuri, raising questions about whether he will continue to stay with the NCP (SP).

“Tanpure didn’t go to the BJP. Their leaders met him today,” the NCP (SP) state president said when asked about the meeting.

BJP leaders had met Tanpure as they may not be sure of winning the seat, Shinde said, adding, “I don’t know why Tanpure took the decision.”

The Rahuri seat fell vacant after sitting BJP MLA Shivajirao Kardile died of a heart attack in October 2025.

Tanpure, maternal nephew of senior NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil, was elected MLA from Rahuri in 2019, but he lost to Kardile in 2024 by a narrow margin of 34,487 votes. The former MLA controls the Rahuri Municipal Council and the NCP (SP) leadership was keen that he contest the bypoll and waited for him till Monday, the last day of filing nominations, for him to make up his mind, NCP (SP) insiders said.

“Jayant Patil personally tried to convince Tanpure as it was a good opportunity for him to avenge his defeat in 2024,” a senior NCP (SP) leader said.

The NCP (SP) state president too confirmed the same.

“We were holding discussions with Tanpure till this afternoon but we realised that he is not going to contest the elections, so we decided to field Mokate as the MVA candidate,” Shinde told reporters. He claimed that Tanpure was not keen to contest but was under pressure from party workers.

Sources in the NCP (SP), however, said that Tanpure chose not to contest after meeting the senior BJP leaders at his office. The leaders convinced him to back out from the bypoll and made him speak to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis over the phone, who was campaigning for the Tamil Nadu assembly elections. Fadnavis assured Tanpure that development work in the constituency would be expedited, the sources said.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the BJP leaders, Tanpure said, “Such senior leaders have come to meet me and assure me that the very issue on which we planned to contest the election will be resolved. CM Fadnavis has also shown a positive approach toward resolving development issues. My nomination form is ready. But I need to discuss this matter with party workers before making a decision.”

Mokate, who has been named MVA candidate from Rahuri, will take on BJP nominee Akshay Kardile, son of deceased MLA Shivajirao Kardile, and Anil Jadhav from the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).