<p>Veteran tribal leader and seven-time MLA, Jiva Pandu Gavit, has been fielded by the CPM to contest the Dindori-ST seat in Nashik district of Khandesh-North Maharashtra region.</p>.<p>With Gavit in fray it has become clear that the Left party will not have any seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress-NCP front.</p>.<p>Apart from Gavit, those in contest are NCP's Dhanraj Mahale, a former Shiv Sena MLA, and BJP's Harishchandra Chavan, who had won the seat both in 2009 and 2014 elections and is expected to be renominated to contest the same.</p>.<p>Gavit played a key role in the March 2018 long-march by adivasis and farmers, which took place from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha.</p>.<p>He was one if the prominent leaders in the February 2019 agitation by farmers and adivasis.</p>.<p>Gavit (69), currently an MLA from Kalvan-ST seat, is one of the senior-most MLAs and in 2014 was the pro-tem speaker for the 13th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.</p>.<p>"Gavit is going to give a tough fight to the NCP and the BJP," Left wing sources told DH on Sunday. </p>.<p>Known as a leader of masses, Gavit holds tremendous influence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts.</p>.<p>In 1978, at the age of 29 he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.</p>.<p>He is known to have worked hard for the rights of poor tribal people and aggressively campaigning for the effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act.</p>.<p>The Lok Sabha elections begin on April 11.</p>
<p>Veteran tribal leader and seven-time MLA, Jiva Pandu Gavit, has been fielded by the CPM to contest the Dindori-ST seat in Nashik district of Khandesh-North Maharashtra region.</p>.<p>With Gavit in fray it has become clear that the Left party will not have any seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress-NCP front.</p>.<p>Apart from Gavit, those in contest are NCP's Dhanraj Mahale, a former Shiv Sena MLA, and BJP's Harishchandra Chavan, who had won the seat both in 2009 and 2014 elections and is expected to be renominated to contest the same.</p>.<p>Gavit played a key role in the March 2018 long-march by adivasis and farmers, which took place from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha.</p>.<p>He was one if the prominent leaders in the February 2019 agitation by farmers and adivasis.</p>.<p>Gavit (69), currently an MLA from Kalvan-ST seat, is one of the senior-most MLAs and in 2014 was the pro-tem speaker for the 13th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.</p>.<p>"Gavit is going to give a tough fight to the NCP and the BJP," Left wing sources told DH on Sunday. </p>.<p>Known as a leader of masses, Gavit holds tremendous influence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts.</p>.<p>In 1978, at the age of 29 he was elected to the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.</p>.<p>He is known to have worked hard for the rights of poor tribal people and aggressively campaigning for the effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act.</p>.<p>The Lok Sabha elections begin on April 11.</p>
