Maharashtra's longest-serving MP feels ignored

Maharashtra's longest-serving MP and former union minister Manikrao Gavit of the Congress has hinted quitting the grand old party for the high-command ignoring him and his family.

Neither Gavit (89) northern his son Bharat Gavit had been considered from the tribal-reserved Nandurbar seat.

Instead, the party chose KC Padavi as its candidate to take on sitting BJP MP Dr Heena Gavit. The senior Gavit is a nine-term MP and had been the pro-tem speaker of the 14th Lok Sabha.

He was the minister of state for Home for a few years in the Dr Manmohan Singh-led UPA government.

In 2014, he lost to Dr Heena Gavit, the daughter of former medical education minister Dr Vijay Gavit, who switched over from NCP to BJP.

"We are pained," said senior Gavit even as his son threatened to contest as an Independent.

"The Lok Sabha elections are important. If we do not contest, the family's role in Nandurbar would be over, " said Bharat Gavit.

The Gavit family had personally known the Nehru-Gandhi family.

Former prime minister Indira Gandhi visited Nandurbar. It is here, nearly 15 years ago, Sonia Gandhi said that she would not assume any post of power. Last month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi launched the party's campaign from neighbouring Dhule district.