Raigad: NCP minister Tatkare locked in 4-cornered contest

Even though NCP managed to swap the Raigad Lok Sabha constituency with Congress, its high profile candidate and Maharashtra water resources minister Sunil Tatkare may not have a cakewalk during the elections.
Tatkare is locked in a tough battle with five-time MP Anant Gite of Shiv Sena, former police officer Sanjay Apranti of AAP and PWP's Ramesh Kadam - an ex-NCP MLA.
Congress stalwart A R Antulay is sulking because the seat swap happened without consulting him since he represented the constituency for four terms. However, party sources say he will not harm interests of the ruling alliance candidate.
Raigad constituency, about 130 kms away from Mumbai, has six Assembly segments - Pen, Alibaug, Shrivardhan, Mahad, Dapoli and Guhaghar. Pen and Shrivardhan were earlier part of the erstwhile Kolaba constituency while Mahad, Dapoli and Guhaghar were in Ratnagiri Lok Sabha constituency.

The Pen and Alibaug Assembly segments are with Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), Mahad and Dapoli with Shiv Sena, Shrivardhan and Guhaghar with NCP.
Tatkare is legislator from Shrivardhan while state NCP chief Bhaskar Jadhav represents Guhaghar. Over the years, Congress has lost its hold over the region.

"Tatkare is not even a leader of his own district and not on good terms with his own party men Bhaskar Jadhav and Uday Samant. How can one expect him to lead the people of the area?" asked PWP leader S P Jadhav.
Tatkare has done nothing to establish himself as a leader and does not have a vision for development. It is the PWP which has fought battles of the people, Jadhav said adding that infighting in the NCP and unrest between the Congress unit and Antulay will benefit them.

However, Tatkare rubbished the allegations saying had he not worked for development, he would not have been an MLA for 15 years. "I am meeting all leaders and office-bearers of Congress and NCP and will unitedly handle the campaign and am confident of my win," he expressed.
On the contrary, Tatkare and PWP leaders say Anant Gite, who has represented the constituency for five terms, has proved to be ineffective.
So much so that Shiv Sena leader Ramdas Kadam has openly stated that he will not work for Gite.
"I have told the party leadership that I will campaign for the party in rest of the state, except Raigad," Kadam told PTI.