Trouble for NCP (SP) as JP Gavit firm on contesting polls from Dindori

With Gavit’s entry into the poll arena, Dindori is likely to see a multi-corner fight as Harishchandra Chavan has threatened to contest elections

Mumbai: Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party is likely to face a setback in the Dindori Lok Sabha seat in the Nashik district as Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader JP Gavit is firm on contesting the elections from Dindori. The party’s attempt to convince him has failed to yield any results. It is likely to create problems for the NCP (SP) Bhaskar Bhagare who was pitted against union minister and sitting BJP MP Bharati Pawar.

Jiva Pandu Gavit

CPI (M) is a Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ally and has sought the Dindori seat to contest in the elections. Gavit, a seven-term MLA from Suragana and Kalwan assembly constituencies, was keen on contesting from Dindori.

“I wanted to contest the election from the seat, but NCP (SP) chose to unilaterally declare their candidate,” said Gavit during a rally on Saturday where he declared he will be contesting polls from Dindori Lok Sabha seat. “Leave this seat for us or else we will defeat your candidate,” warned Gavit, who is known for fighting for the rights of tribals.

Soon after that, Maharashtra NCP (SP) president Jayant Patil reached Nashik on Saturday and held a meeting with CPI (M) leaders, including Gavit, but could not convince him. He is said to have offered to give a few seats in the upcoming state assembly elections, but could not convince Gavit. On Sunday, he again held another meeting with the CPI (M) leaders.

After the meeting, he said that CPI (M) had assured them that there would be no rebellion. “I am sure JP Gavit will be convinced as he is loyal to his party and has been working for the left ideology,” Patil told reporters.

He stressed that the Dindori seat was allocated to the NCP(SP) as part of the seat-sharing deal. “All the allies have extended their support to our candidate. (Sharad) Pawar Saheb is speaking to all the leaders from CPI(M) from Delhi to Nashik, and whoever tried to contest (from the allies) will be convinced. All eyes are on Dindori,” he emphasized.

With Gavit’s entry into the poll arena, Dindori is likely to see a multi-corner fight as Harishchandra Chavan, former BJP MP from the seat, has threatened to contest elections. The three-term MP was dropped by the BJP and nominated Bharati Pawar, who resigned from the then-unified NCP after the party chose to field Dhanraj Mahale from Dindori.

Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) too declared Malati Shankar Thavil as their new candidate from the constituency on Sunday. Earlier, the party had declared Gulab Barde as its candidate, who chose to withdraw from the electoral battle over health reasons.

In 2019, Gavit contested elections as a CPI (M) candidate and secured 1.09 lakh votes. The then-unified NCP candidate, Dhanraj Mahale, bagged 3.68 lakh votes, and Bharati Pawar won the polls with a margin of 1.98 lakh votes. VBA candidate Bapu Barde got 58,847 votes in the last polls.