Congress leader from Gadchiroli, Dr Nitin Kodawte, dealt a blow to the party today, March 22, when he announced his decision to join the BJP. Kodawte, who currently holds the position of Congress State Secretary, was seen as a potential candidate for nomination by the party in the upcoming assembly elections. However, before any such opportunity arose, he chose to leave the party. It's worth noting that Nitin Kodawte's wife, Chanda Kodawte, was the Congress candidate in the 2019 assembly elections.
Congress has announced the list of seven candidates from Maharashtra. Nitin Kodavte was in the contest to get candidature in the Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency. But Congress has not announced a candidate at this place.
Praniti Shinde from Solapur, Shahu Maharaj Chhatrapati from Kolhapur, MLA Ravindra Dhangekar from Pune Lok Sabha Constituency, Gowal Padvi from Nandurbar, Valwant Wankhede from Amravati, and Dr. Vasantrao Chavan from Shivaji Kalge, Nanded, have been nominated. However, Congress leader Vijay Vadettiwar's close youth leader, Dr. Nitin Kodawte, was not nominated, so he decided to join the BJP.