Raju Shetti meets Rahul Gandhi, likely to join UPA soon

Raju Shetti heads Swabhimani Sanghatana, a farmers’ outfit that wields influence in west and north Maharashtra.

mumbai Updated: Mar 19, 2018 22:52 IST
Swabhimani Paksha chief and Hatkanangale MP Raju Shetty had joined the NDA ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and won through the political wing of his outfit, Swabhimani Paksha.
Swabhimani Paksha chief and Hatkanangale MP Raju Shetty had joined the NDA ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and won through the political wing of his outfit, Swabhimani Paksha.(HT File Photo)

Swabhimani Paksha chief and Member of Parliament from Hatkanangale in Kolhapur district, Raju Shetti, met Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his residence on Monday.

Shetti is likely to join the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) formally in the coming days. Shetti heads Swabhimani Sanghatana, a farmers’ outfit that wields influence in west and north Maharashtra.

He had joined the NDA ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and won through the political wing of his outfit, Swabhimani Paksha. His party continued with the NDA during the assembly elections and his nominee, Sadabhau Khot, was made a junior minister in the Fadnavis government.

However, following differences between the duo after Shetti began criticising the BJP over farmers’ issues, Khot floated his separate outfit.

Parting ways with the NDA in September last year, Shetti accused the Modi government of not keeping its promises.

“Shetti met Gandhi after he was impressed with our resolution passed in the plenary session in farmers’ interests. Another meeting is expected in the next two weeks,” state Congress chief Ashok Chavan said.