The NCP (SP) on Wednesday declared Shriram Patil's candidature for the Raver Lok Sabha constituency. It is now certain that Shriram Patil will take on BJP candidate Raksha Khadse in Raver.
The BJP had announced Raksha Khadse's candidature a while ago and also started campaigning. However, this seat was given to the NCP (SP) in Maha Vikas Aghadi, and the party had not announced its candidate earlier.
The Raver constituency has consistently been with the BJP. Raksha Khadse has been elected from here with record votes in both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP is confident about her hat-trick victory this time. In the MVA, the NCP (SP) got the seat after Congress lost its footing in Jalgaon district. Sharad Pawar emphasized that a strong and competent candidate needs to be fielded from Raver if they are to defeat the BJP.
In the Jalgaon Lok Sabha constituency, Shiv Sena (UBT) decided to nominate Karan Pawar following the entry of sitting BJP MP Unmesh Patil, who bid farewell to the party after being denied a ticket. Similarly, in Raver, the NCP (SP) tried to attract such disgruntled candidates. Before the ticket was given to Raksha Khadse, Amol Jawale was interested in contesting from here. But Khadse's candidature made him upset, and his supporters resigned from BJP offices. Eventually, BJP leaders succeeded in ironing out his displeasure, destroying the intention of the NCP (SP) to get Jawale to join the party.
Following these developments, names of NCP (SP) district President Ravindra Patil and Shriram Patil were in discussion for the ticket from Raver. In a meeting held in Pune on Monday, everyone agreed on the name of Shriram Patil, and this name was announced. Shriram Patil is a renowned social activist and is a well-known face in Raver, especially since he was in BJP till now. He joined NCP (SP) on Tuesday and was declared as a candidate the very next day. With the announcement of this candidature, the uncertainty surrounding the MVA candidate from Raver is now over.
