Corruption, Goa expressway top issues in Raigad
Though 13 candidates are in the fray, small parties and pressure groups have vouched support to candidates from NCP and Shiv Sena (UBT)
RAIGAD: The Raigad Lok Sabha constituency, which will vote during the third phase of the election on May 7, is witnessing a direct fight between the sitting MP and state NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) president Sunil Tatkare and former union minister and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anant Geete.
Though there are 13 candidates in the fray this time, several smaller parties and pressure groups have vouched support to the two high profile candidates, and both have promised to resolve simmering issues at the local level, such as corruption, completion of the Mumbai-goa expressway and development of tourism and fisheries.
“This is a fight between bhrastachar (corruption) and sadachar (good conduct) and sadachar will win,” Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Geete told HT. “The prime minister had said that NCP was a corrupt party, but now, one of their former ministers is the candidate here.”
While the Shiv Sena (UBT) has been highlighting Tatkare’s alleged links with the irrigation scam, the sitting MP has shot back, saying the matter had been probed, but nothing was found. He has also threatened to make details about what Geete gave back to his bosses (the Thackerays) while serving as a union minister public.
“Did he (Geete) become a minister for free? Those staying in glass houses must not throw stones at others,” he said.
Both Geete and Tatkare have promised to complete work on the Mumbai-goa expressway, which commenced in 2008. The highway passes through all the assembly segments under the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency including Pen, Alibag, Shrivardhan, Dapoli and Mahad.
“Several protests have been held against the National Highway Authority of India for not being able to complete the highway. All parties have collectively failed in this,” said Vaibhav Khedekar, a Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader from Khed. “But after Raj Thackeray ordered, we all have started working for Tatkare.”
Other rivals of the six-time MP have also rallied in his support in the run-up to the election. For instance, Shiv Sena MLA from Mahad Bharat Gogawale, who was upset as he was not made a minister in the state cabinet, has begun working for the NCP candidate after a diktat from his party bosses. On Sunday, Gogawale held a meeting in support of Tatkare with people from Raigad living in Ghatkopar East. Ramdas Kadam, another Shiv Sena leader from Khed, and his son and MLA Yogesh Kadam have also been working for Tatkare.
The induction of Congress leader and former chief minister AR Antulay’s nephew Mushtaq Antulay into the NCP is also likely to benefit the sitting MP as he who hails from the Ambet area in Shrivardhan and will help Tatkare woo Muslim voters, who are predominant in many pockets of Raigad. “Workers from BJP, MNS, RPI and my party are working tirelessly in every nook and corner of the constituency to ensure my victory,” Tatkare told HT.
But Bhaskar Jadhav, the lone Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA in the Lok Sabha constituency from Guhagar, said people from the
Konkan region were the backbone of his party and they would support Geete in this election too. “Many have not liked the way BJP engineered a split in Shiv Sena and took away our symbol. This factor will benefit Geete,” he said.
Geete has himself played the sympathy card in his speeches, talking about how the group led by Eknath Shinde stole the party and the symbol from Uddhav Thackeray. He enjoys the support of the Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) headed by Jayant Patil, which has significant presence in the district.
“It was PWP which announced my candidature four months back. They are firmly backing me. Some days ago,
Jayant Patil also announced that I will be a cabinet minister when our INDIA alliance comes to power, so i can bring development here,” said Geete.
There are two more Anant Geetes in the fray this time, who are contesting as independents. “People with same names are being fielded to cut my votes, but they will have no impact on my candidature,” said Geete, who lives in Mumbai.
In his speeches, Tatkare has been contrasting Geete’s absence in the constituency during natural calamities with the proactive work undertaken by him, his daughter and minister Aditi Tatkare and son Aniket Tatkare. “If the BJP had not backed him in 2019, he would have been defeated,” said Tatkare, who lives in Sutarwadi near Roha.
If elected, he has promised to connect all areas in the constituency with 4G network so that education of students doesn’t suffer. He has also spoken about promoting tourism and not permitting any polluting industries in the area.
“Tatkare has always been there with people whenever a there has been a natural calamity,” said Rajendra Joshi, who owns a home stay in Nandgaon village.
“Everyone wanted to promote Raigad as a tourist destination, but the road from Alibag to Murud was very bad. It was only in January this year that funds were allocated by finance minister Ajit Pawar to pave the road. We want development to promote tourism.”
Activist Ulka Mahajan, on the other hand, said Geete was getting much response from residents. Forest rights and fishing rights in coastal areas were the major issues in this election, she said. “Fishermen are contending with reduced yield due to pollution in the sea. Fishing has to get the status of agriculture,” she said.
NDIA