In a surprising turn of events in Kolhapur North, Congress candidate Madhurimaraje has withdrawn her nomination, a move that has shaken the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition. The decision comes after Rajesh Latkar, originally promised the Congress ticket, refused to withdraw his independent candidacy, leaving Madhurimaraje no option but to step down. his withdrawal is a blow to Congress and the MVA, who will now be forced to back an independent candidate in the constituency.
Efforts by senior leaders, including MP Shahu Chhatrapati and Satej Patil, to persuade Latkar to step down had been ongoing, but proved unsuccessful.Originally, Latkar was nominated by Congress for the Kolhapur North seat, but his candidacy was later withdrawn in favor of Madhurimaraje, sparking discontent among Latkar’s supporters and leading him to file as an independent. Attempts by Congress leaders to mediate fell through, and with only 10 minutes left before the final withdrawal deadline, Madhurimaraje withdrew her nomination.
Adding to the drama, during a recent meeting with Chhatrapati family members, Latkar alleged a conspiracy to cancel his candidacy, directly accusing MP Shahu Chhatrapati of orchestrating his removal. This controversy has left Congress and the MVA grappling with internal discord just ahead of the election.The major contest for Kolhapur North assembly will be between Rajesh Kshirsagar of Mahayuti (Shiv Sena) and independent candidate Rajesh Latkar.