Prior to the Lok Sabha elections, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) leader Mahadev Jankar joined the Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra, in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Ajit Pawar and Devendra Fadnavis.
Jankar, who previously contested against Supriya Sule in the Baramati Lok Sabha seat in 2014, holds significant influence among the Dhangar community in western Maharashtra.
Following a meeting between Shinde, Ajit Pawar, Fadnavis, and Jankar, a joint statement was issued, announcing the allocation of one parliamentary seat to Jankar’s party.
In response, BJP MLC Prasad Lad expressed his support for Jankar’s decision to join the NDA and mentioned the assurance given by the CM and Deputy CMs regarding the allocation of a Lok Sabha seat to his party.
Welcoming Jankar’s support, Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare emphasized its significance for the alliance in the state. He also mentioned plans for a press conference in the coming days to discuss seat-sharing and reiterated their collective aim to strengthen PM Modi’s leadership.
It’s noteworthy that Jankar had met Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar earlier in the week.
The history of the Parliamentary seat in question includes its initial win by Sharad Pawar in 2009 and subsequent retention by the NCP in 2014.