In a development that came as a boost to the Opposition Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, rebel NCP leader Deepak Kesarkar on Monday exhorted his supporters to “defeat” senior Maharashtra’s Congress Minister’s son and party’s official nominee from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency Nilesh Rane in the April 17 lok Sabha polls.
A day after the NCP served show-cause notice for his “anti-party” act of opposing Nilesh Rane’s candidature in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency, Kesarkar indirectly asked his supporters at a close-door meeting at Sawantwadi in Sindhudurg district of coastal Konkan region to support Sena’s candidate Nitin Raut in the polls.
Raising a banner of revolt against his party leadership, Kesarkar — along 400-odd NCP office bearers and party workers from Sindhudurg —had on Sunday boycotted the joint ruling Democratic Front election rally of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, Maharashtra CM Prithviraj Chavan and Sr Rane of the Congress for Nilesh Rane, Kesarkar — who sent off his resignation as an MlA from Sawantwadi to party chief Sharad Pawar ahead of his boycott of the joint Congress-NCP alliance rally in Sunday — stepped campaign against Sr Rane, by calling upon party supporters — who comprised a majority of party workers from the NCP’s Sawantwadi unit — to “defeat” the Congress’ candidate from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Nilesh Rane.
Kesarkar, who has been opposing the “politics of intimidation and violence” practised by Sr Rane in his home district of Sindhudurg, said: “Today, after Maoist-ingested Gadchiroli, Sindhudurg is the most unstable district.. You know who has been keeping this region volatile. Who brought violent politics to KankavliIJ It is time we end this culture of violence and terror. If I had supported Rane now, I would have probably got a cabinet minister’s post next month, but I don’t want it. I want your life to be peaceful,” Kesarkar told his supporters at a close-door meeting held at Sawantwadi.
In what will come as music to the ears of the Shiv Sena, Keskarkar told his supporters: “lakshmi pujan is done only after you slay the Narakasura demon. I urge you to slay the Narakasura in the ballot box.”