Mulak in fray from Ramtek to avenge betrayal of Uddhav Thackeray: Kedar

 

 

 

In a new twist to political drama within Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Congress strongman in Nagpur Rural, Sunil Kedar, has come up with a new theory to justify party rebel Rajendra Mulak’s candidature from Ramtek Assembly seat. “Mulak is contesting the polls as Independent to take revenge against incumbent Shiv Sena legislator Adv Ashish Jaiswal who betrayed Uddhav Thackeray to side with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in power struggle in Maharashtra. Mulak’s candidature from Ramtek seat is a way to teach Adv Ashish Jaiswal a lesson by defeating him in the polls. Mulak will then dedicate his victory to Thackeray,” claimed Kedar while addressing a poll rally in Ramtek the other day. In seat-sharing among MVA constituents, Ramtek seat went to Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), which left Congress miffed as they, more particularly Kedar, were claiming that Mulak stood better chance of defeating incumbent legislator Adv Ashish Jaiswal.

 

Till last moment, Kedar tried his best to wrest Ramtek from Sena (UBT) but the latter refused to budge. Kedar’s insistence on wanting Ramtek seat for Congress was also on account of his key role during the Lok Sabha elections wherein a newcomer like Shyam Kumar Barve emerged triumphant from Ramtek Parliamentary constituency. Kedar, accompanied with Rajendra Mulak, even went to meet Uddhav Thackeray at Mumbai in a last ditch attempt to persuade Shiv Sena (UBT) to consider Mulak from Ramtek Assembly seat. However, the efforts went in vain as Sena (UBT) leadership refused to cede as they had already committed the seat to Vishal Barbate, a businessman from Nagpur city. Barbate has been camping quite often in Ramtek and reaching out to electorate for last two to three years. Further, if Shiv Sena (UBT) had withdrawn from Ramtek then they would not have any presence in Nagpur District. Hence, the party hierarchy advised Thackeray not to accede to Kedar's request. Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders have lashed out at Kedar for openly canvassing in support of Mulak and former's ex-legislator Bhaskar Jadhav claimed that latter back stabbed Thackeray by openly violating MVA formula. Sena (UBT) leadership is also unhappy with the fact that Congress leadership has not cracked down on Kedar or for that matter its Ramtek MP Shyam Kumar Barve who are campaigning for Mulak leaving Barbate to fend for himself. Apart from Barbate, even Mulak has been active in Ramtek Assembly segment for last five to six years.

 

He had been nursing the constituency hoping to make it back to Assembly after his erstwhile Umred seat got reserved. Addressing the rally, Kedar took a dig at Adv Jaiswal saying, the latter has been claiming issuance of GR whereas on the ground no development is visible. “Adv Jaiswal has become arrogant and the voters will show his rightful place in the ensuing elections,” he alleged. Kedar also suggested to Sena (UBT) leaders to share his speech with Thackeray so that any misunderstanding about him would be resolved. Kedar has vice-like grip on the co-operative sector in the district which gives him a distinct advantage in terms of influencing outcome of elections in rural hinterland. This was already visible during Lok Sabha elections which he single-handedly won it for Congress.