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'I had told Fadnavisji that I will be with the party till the Lok Sabha election and I will give my 100 per cent to campaign for the BJP.'
'But ultimately I will have to take this decision (to quit the BJP).'
'When I requested him to see this from the point of view of an elder brother, he could not say anything more after that.'
The politics of western Maharashtra, particularly Kolhapur, is all set to emerge as an interesting hotspot during the forthcoming assembly election in Maharashtra.
With the entry of Raje Samarjeetsinh Ghatge -- a descendant of Chhatrapati Shahu Maharaj, and son of the late Vikramsinh Ghatge, himself a two-term MLA from Kagal in Kolhapur district -- from the Bharatiya Janata Party into Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party faction, battle lines are drawn with Ghatge emerging as a favourite to contest the Kagal seat against state Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif, a trusted Sharad Pawar warhorse once, who shifted his loyalties to the Ajit Pawar camp when he parted ways with his uncle on July 2, 2023.
Ghatge, a chartered accountant by profession, who runs the Shri Shahu Cooperative Sugar Factory and the Raje Vikramsinh Ghatge Co-operative Bank, was a trusted lieutenant of senior BJP leader and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for eight years.
"When I was in the BJP for eight years, I took the party to the grassroots. I will be doing the same for the NCP-SP under the leadership of Mr Sharad Pawar. He has been deceived by his very so-called 'close people'. Now he needs a fresh face and faithful people who are going to remain absolutely loyal to him," Raje Samarjeetsinh Ghatge, who joined the NCP-SP on September 4, 2024, tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com.
You were considered very close to Devendra Fadnavis. And yet you quit the BJP.
In 2016 when I had joined the BJP, my intention was very clear. I wanted to bring a revolution in my constituency and win the election by contesting the MLA seat. I've been very clear that I do not want to become an MLC; that I do not want a backdoor entry to the state legislature.
Unfortunately, in 2019, because of seat sharing issues with the Shiv Sena (when the BJP and undivided Shiv Sena fought the election in alliance), I had to stand independently and yet I got about 116,000 votes.
Then on July 2, 2023 when Ajit Pawar joined the alliance, and it became a Mahayuti, it was very clear that the seat (Kagal assembly constituency in Kolhapur) would go to the incumbent minister from his party Hasan Mushrif.
I had always told Devendra Fadnavisji that there's going to be this problem and there's no way you are going to deny him (Mushrif is a five-time MLA from Kagal) ticket.
I had told Fadnavisji that I will be with the party till the Lok Sabha election and I will give my 100 per cent to campaign for the BJP. But ultimately I will have to take this decision (to quit the BJP).
Accordingly, I informed him that I have had meetings with the NCP-SP in the last week of July (2024) and if I had to win this (Kagal assembly) seat, I have no option but to go to Mr Sharad Pawar.
What is it that attracted you towards the NCP-SP and its chief Sharad Pawar?
I've always said that political relations and politics are different. We had old relationship with Mr (Sharad) Pawar, beyond politics. My father was a chairman of the sugar factory and throughout the whole (sugar) cooperative movement, we've always been associated -- not at the political level -- with them (Sharad Pawar and his family).
This seat (Kagal) is allocated to the Mr Pawar's party (Hasan Mushrif had won in 2019 as an MLA from Kagal on the NCP ticket).
In the present scenario, I felt I was more comfortable working with him (Sharad Pawar) because of the prior relationship. That's why I decided to join his party.
When you joined the NCP-SP on September 4, Sharad Pawar in his speech at Gaibi Chowk publicly stated that if you win the Kagal assembly seat you won't merely remain an MLA.
Was he hinting at a ministry for you? What is it that Sharad Pawar admires so much in you?
Very frankly, at this moment my focus is about winning the seat. As far as the ministry is concerned that is something which comes after government formation and it will be the prerogative of the new chief minister.
I have tirelessly worked for eight years with the BJP; I have stuck to the party line. I have taken the BJP symbol to the last cadre.
The most important reason he (Sharad Pawar) respects me is for my staunch commitment to progress and development. I give it my 100%. I don't believe in playing double games.
When I was in the BJP for eight years, I took the party to the grassroots. I will be doing the same for the NCP-SP under the leadership of Mr Pawar.
In the present scenario he has been deceived by his very so-called 'close people' and whom he had promoted all these years. Now he needs a fresh face and faithful people who are going to remain absolutely loyal to him, his party and its cause.
Did Devendra Fadnavis make any efforts to pacify you? To make some arrangements so that you don't quit the BJP?
He did speak about that. He said he can rehabilitate me, but I said only one thing to him: 'That as a political person obviously you would not like me to leave. I understand that. But please understand me as my elder brother that I need to take this decision for my constituency.'
When I requested him to see this from the point of view of an elder brother, he could not say anything more after that.
How challenging will it be for you to contest and defeat Hasan Mushrif, who is a cabinet minister and who has also been mentored by Sharad Pawar?
The whole sentiment of Maharashtra, and specifically Kohlapur, is they have this amazing characteristic of always supporting the underdog, the dark horse and someone who fights it out against the existing establishment.
Agreed, he is a minister, he has the backing of the Mahayuti, but one must not forget that he managed to have all this power and respect because of the blessings and the support of adarneeya (respected) Sharad Pawar.
He had the blessings of Mr Sharad Pawar, who is not with him this time, and I have the blessing of Sharad Pawar this time. You have to understand one thing": That the kind of brazenness which has taken place that he can leave Mister Sharad Pawar.
The 116,00 votes I got in 2019 (as an independent) are all mine (even today); I can go to any side and all those votes will remain with me. This time I have the blessing of Sharad Pawar. He is firmly behind me and working under his leadership. That is going to be the deciding factor in this election.
How will you joining the NCP-SP help the party in the sugar cooperative belt of western Maharashtra?
I am not quite sure how I can answer that question. But whatever responsibility the party gives to me in future I will give my 100 per cent commitment to fulfill them. I am not the kind who believes in falling too much in love with oneself.
That is quite a forthright response...
You have to have the humility and to say that me joining the party is going to benefit the party will only reflect the kind of brazenness seen in the incumbent (Ajit Pawar) who decided to switch party.
I can only say with all the humility that I will work hard to grow the party. This is not a question I would like to answer.
How are you planning to expand the NCP-SP base in the region after joining Sharad Pawar?
You have to understand that western Maharashtra has been a stronghold of Mr Sharad Pawar. We just now have to revive it. This region has always been under the sway and personal touch of Mr Pawar.
I will be doing the same thing which I have done in the eight years (when I was in the BJP). I will go to the grassroots and connect people to the party. Mr Sharad Pawar has decided to go with maximum fresh faces in the coming election. I think that is going to be the most attractive part.
Will the Maha Vikas Aghadi win a majority in the assembly election? How many seats is the NCP-SP likely to win in Maharashtra?
I cannot talk about the numbers right now ,but I do feel that the Maha Vikas Aghadi has a fair advantage over the Mahayuti and the Lok Sabha election results make that very obvious.
We have an advantage as far as the seats (the MVA is likely to win). I think I could answer that question after another month or so.