Maharashtra Assembly polls 2024 | Congress candidate Madhurima Raje opts out of contest from Kolhapur

Mumbai: In a surprising and dramatic turn of events in the historic city of Kolhapur, Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati, who was the official candidate of the Congress, withdrew her candidature at the last minute because of  lack of cooperation from a section of Congress party workers. 

Madhurima Raje is the wife of former MLA Maloji Raje Chhatrapati, who is the son of Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, the Congress MP from Kolhapur.

The Kolhapur royal family are descendants of iconic Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and legendary social reformer Chhatrapati Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj.

The Congress had initially nominated Rajesh Latkar from Kolhapur North, however, he was replaced by Madhurima Raje.

Latkar, however, remained in fray as an Independent.

Senior Congress leader Satej Patil, who calls the shots for the party in Kolhapur, reached out to Latkar, however, he remained incommunicado and refused to withdraw.

Instead, Madhurima Raje bowed out of the contest. 

“There were no options left...out of helplessness,  we have decided not to contest because of the circumstances,” said  Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj, who was upset. "Rajesh Latkar is a good party worker. He didn't withdraw his candidature. Since a party worker was forced to rebel, we decided not to contest," he added. 

“At this stage, I am not in a position to speak. However, I will surely speak at a later stage,” added Maloji Raje Chhatrapati minutes after he accompanied his wife and ushered her to the Returning Officer's chamber to withdraw the nomination at the last minute. 

After this, Patil was visibly agitated and could not control. 

"This isn't correct, Maharaj...I don't accept it...you should have taken a decision earlier itself (about Madhurima Raje not contesting elections)," Patil told Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj.

"If you don't have guts, you shouldn't have filled the form in the first place; I would have shown my power," he was heard saying to Congress workers. 

In fact, Patil, the Congress group leader in Council, is architect of Shahu Chhatrapati Maharaj's victory from Kolhapur. 

It is, however, not yet known, whether the Congress high-command was aware of the decision taken by the Kolhapur royal family.

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded Rajesh Kshirsagar from the Kolhapur North seat.

The Congress workers were agitated over the ticket to a royal family member yet again.

After the development, state Congress President Nana Patole declared that the Congress and the Maha Vikas Aghadi would back Latkar.

Reacting to the development, BJP's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis took a dig at Congress. "Imagine...in Kolhapur North, the Congress has become candidate-less." 

Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.

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