The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana president RajuShettiwillgoonaPadyatra from October 17 to November 7 in Western Maharashtra to highlight the exploitation of sugarcane farmers by sugar mills.Shetti will cover 522 km during the padayatra between October 17 to November 7.Over the last few years, the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana and its political outfit, the Swabhimani Paksha, have seen their numbers dwindling as leader after leader has left its fold.
Raju Shetti started as an associate with Sharad Joshi’s Shetkari Sanghatana or Farmer’s Organization and worked relentlessly for the movement. Later, due to some difference of opinion with Joshi, Shetty formed new organization named, Swabhimani Shetkari Saghtana (SSS). He fought an election for Zilla Parishad from Udgaon constituency and won in year 2001. In 2004, Raju Shetti was elected to Maharashtra Legislative Assembly from Shirol constituency as an Independent. Shetty went on to form political party Swabhimani Paksha and fought 2009 general election from Hatkanangle under his party’s banner and won by defeating sitting MP Nivedita Sambhajirao Mane and entered Lok Sabha, the lower house of Indian Parliament. In 2014, his Swabhimani Paksha, formed an alliance with Bharatiya Janata Party and joined NDA. Shetty re-contested from his constituency, Hatkanangle and was reelected to the Parliament defeating Kallappa Awade.