Reward time for Raju Shetti? NCP offers council seat from own quota

State NCP president Jayant Patil visits SSS leader and gives proposal. Will the

Kolhapur loss of state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil, be Raju Shetti’s gain? 

Mumbai: It is learned that Raju Shetti, the leader of Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatna, which has split the ways with the BJP, has been offered a seat in the Legislative Council from the NCP’s quota. It is seen as major political decision in Kolhapur, where BJP suffered major setback even though its state unit president Chandrakant Patil hails from Kolhapur.  

NCP state president and Minister for Water Resources and Command Area Development, Jayant Patil is reported to have made the offer to Raju Shetti. He has also received positive feedback from Shetti. He has sought two days’ time from Jayant Patil to think. A final decision on giving a seat to Raju Shetti in the Legislative Council will be taken after the completion of NCP supremo Sharad Pawar’s Konkan visit, sources said. Following the NCP’s proposal, Raju Shetti is likely to be nominated to the Legislative Council.

“My mother is not feeling well. Jayant Patil had come two days ago to inquire about my mother’s condition. Naturally, there were some informal discussions and chats at that time. Speaking on the occasion, he said that as per the agreement reached during the Lok Sabha elections, it was decided to give a seat to the Legislative Council. We could not give anything at that time, but now when Pawar comes to Mumbai from Konkan tour, we will try to discuss and make a decision, ”said Raju Shetti.

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He further said, “During the assembly elections, the NCP had decided to leave one seat for Swabhimani. Now it is up to their leadership to decide whether to give it or not. I just reminded him about what was going on. We will decide whether to accept the offer or not after receiving the reply from them. I think there will be a meeting with Pawar within a week. At that time, it will be yes or no”, said Raju Shetti.

Raju Shetti had contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2014 along with the BJP-Shiv Sena, but three years later he split with the BJP due to differences and has been with the Congress-NCP ever since. After parting ways with the BJP, he launched several agitations against Modi and the BJP government and slammed both the governments. He contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections with the Congress-NCP, but failed miserably. He expressed the wish that he should get a chance in the Legislative Council.

The State Legislative Council currently has a vacancy for members appointed by the Governor and here the political parties are vying for the appointment of their members on the Legislative Council. The three ruling parties want to send an equal number of their members to the Legislative Council and if that is the case, the NCP’s quota will be four seats. He is believed to be trying to win over the peasantry by giving Raju Shetti a chance at one of his quota seats.