Maharashtra: CPI(M) fields veteran legislator JP Gavit

Veteran tribal leader and seven-term MLA, Jiva Pandu Gavit, has been fielded by CPI(M) in the Maharashtra polls. Gavit will contest the Kalvan-ST seat in Nashik district.

The CPI(M) announced the first list of four candidates on Monday. Besides Gavit, the other candidates are Narasayya Adam (Solapur Central), Dr DL Karad (Nashik West) and Vinod Nikole (Dahanu-ST).

During the March 2018 long-march by adivasis and farmers from Nashik to Mumbai under the banner of All India Kisan Sabha, Gavit has played a key role. Similarly, in February, 2019 adivasis and farmers agitation and a similar proposed march, he was one of the prominent leaders.

Gavit is one of the seniormost MLAs and in 2014, he was the pro-tem speaker for the 13th Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Gavit, 69, had also unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha polls.

He has tremendous influence in the tribal areas of Nashik, Thane and Palghar districts. He was just 29, when in 1978, he was first elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Known as a leader of masses who worked hard for the rights of poor tribals, aggressively campaigning for effective implementation of the Forest Rights Act.

On the other hand, Adam, popularly known as Adam Master, is associated with trade union movement and is a leader of beedi workers from Solapur. With the CPI(M) fielding candidates it became clear that the Left party will not have any seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress-NCP front or the Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi.