Maharashtra: Cong yanks off royal official candidate from Kolhapur North for 'family reasons'

Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Nov 4 (IANS) In an abrupt volte-face, the Congress-MahaVikas Aghadi (MVA) on Monday withdrew its official royal nominee, Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati from the Kolhapur North Assembly seat, sparking the ire of the district party strongman Satej D. 'Bunty' Patil.

The Kolhapur North seat has given a series of hiccups to the Congress in the past few days, owing to local politics which culminated with the withdrawal of Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati, wife of former MLA Malojiraje Chhatrapati and the son of Kolhapur Congress MP Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj.

State Congress President Nana F. Patole said that the move was ostensibly necessitated owing to certain family issues, though few were convinced and Patil made a public display of his anger on Monday.

"If you had no courage to fight (the polls) then why did you stand… I have been cheated. You should have told me in advance… I would have shown my strength," said a livid Patil, losing his temper in front of the entire Chhatrapati family.

With gritted teeth, Patil also warned that he would "not spare the people" around the Kolhapur MP who had plotted in the matter, as Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj allegedly compelled his daughter-in-law to sign the withdrawal form while her husband escorted her outside.

The Kolhapur seat has proved slippery ground for the Congress which had earlier nominated a local heavyweight and ex-municipal corporator Rajesh Latkar in place of sitting MLA Jayashree C. Jadhav – elected in a bypoll in 2022 - who promptly quit with her son Satyajit, to join the ruling MahaYuti ally Shiv Sena.

Suddenly, on October 28, the Congress dropped Latkar and nominated Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati - who filled her form, started her poll campaign, but has now stepped out of the contest.

Slighted after being denied the party ticket, Latkar stood as an independent, and despite all efforts by Patil and the Chhatrapatis to make him withdraw, did not relent.

At one point, local sources said that Chhatrapati Shrimant Shahu Maharaj was disgusted by goings-on and reportedly said that "if he (Latkar) doesn't withdraw, then Madhurima Raje will step back", which shocked Patil.

After filing his nomination as Independent Latkar had earlier met the Chhatrapatis at their home, the New Palace in Kolhapur, though Congress leaders have not commented on it so far.

Party sources in Mumbai and Kolhapur reveal that left with no options, the MVA will now support Latkar and work to ensure his victory in this crucial and prestigious seat in the erstwhile royal kingdom.

Last month, a group of more than two dozen former corporators had written a letter to Patil demanding a change of candidate after which the party top brass held discussions and chose to field Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati in place of Latkar.

At that time, her husband Malojiraje Chhatrapati had said that the royal family was not keen to contest, but as many wanted a big winnable name, his wife (Madhurima Raje) was nominated, and it was not intended to display any supremacy over anyone else.

However, nobody is willing to predict the consequences of these serial cloak-and-dagger political movements on the MVA prospects here in the November 20 elections.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: qnajmi@gmail.com)

--IANS

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