Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress both have decided to act tough against the rebels. On Thursday, BJP expelled its rebel Charan Waghmare and Congress suspended Ramratanbapu Raut and Sewak Waghaye. Charan Waghmare was BJP MLA from Tumsar constituency in Bhandara district. He defeated Madhukar Kukde of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in State Legislative Assembly elections in 2014. However, this time, BJP decided to change its candidate and gave party ticket to Pradeep Padole. Waghmare resorted to rebellion.
He is in the fray as an Independent candidate. Taking a strong note of Waghmare’s rebellion, BJP has expelled him from the party. Chandrakant Patil, State President of BJP, issued direction in this regard. In another development, Congress also has suspended Ramratanbapu Raut and Sewak Waghaye from the party. Balasaheb Thorat, President of Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) issued a communique in this regard on Thursday. Ramratanbapu Raut is former MLA of Congress from Amgaon in Gondia district, and Waghaye is former MLA of Congress from Sakoli in Bhandara district. Raut was elected as Congress MLA from Amgaon constituency in 2009. In 2014, however, Sanjay Puram of BJP defeated Raut.
This time, BJP has repeated Sanjay Puram but Congress has given ticket of Sahasram Korote. Irked over this, Ramratanbapu Raut is contesting the elections as an Independent candidate. Sewak Waghaye was Congress MLA in 2004. In 2009, he tasted defeat at the hands of Nana Patole, BJP candidate. In 2014, Patole contested Lok Sabha elections as BJP candidate and got elected. As a result, BJP fielded Rajesh alias Bala Kashiwar from Sakoli. He defeated Sewak Waghaye and got elected. This time, however, both Congress and BJP have changed their candidates.
BJP has fielded Dr Parinay Fuke, Minister of State for Public Works and MLC from Bhandara-Gondia local authorities constituency, and Congress has fielded Nana Patole, who has quit BJP and joined Congress ahead of Lok Sabha elections held earlier this year. Sewak Waghaye, who was expecting Congress ticket, has resorted to rebellion and is contesting the election from Sakoli constituency as Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate.
