Its round 2 of Chavan versus Chikhlikar in Nanded bypoll

Former BJP MP Pratap Patil has reportedly expressed his desire to contest the seat, which has fallen vacant following the death of sitting candidate Vasantrao Chavan last month.

BJP Nanded Chikhalikar has reportedly expressed his desire to contest the seat

Chikhalikar has reportedly expressed his desire to contest the seat. (File photo)

The Nanded Lok Sabha seat might again witness a Chavan versus Chikhalikar poll contest, just months after Congress candidate Vasantrao Chavan defeated former BJP MP Pratap Patil Chikhalikar in the parliamentary elections.

Chikhalikar has reportedly expressed his desire to contest the seat, which has fallen vacant following the death of Vasantrao Chavan last month. Meanwhile, the Nanded District Congress Committee has recommended the name of Ravindra Chavan, the son of late Vasantrao Chavan, as the party nominee.

The home seat of former Congress chief minister Ashok Chavan, the Grand Old Party received a jolt when the latter decided to join the BJP right before the general elections earlier this year. In such a scenario, Vasantrao Chavan was asked by the party to contest the seat. Vasantrao Chavan, who had almost retired from politics, had taken on the challenge and trounced Chikhalikar to wrest the Nanded seat from him. In 2019, Chikhalikar defeated Ashok Chavan in Nanded.

Post the 2024 poll loss, Chikhalikar had taken the blame on himself and refused to attribute it to anyone else. He once shared an uneasy relationship with Ashok Chavan but is said to have buried the hatchet since the former chief minister was nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Asked if he can contest the Lok Sabha bypoll, Ravindra Chavan replied, “Party workers have urged me to fight the bye-election. They said they would work like they did to get my father elected.”

Parthasarathi Biswas

Partha Sarathi Biwas is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express with 10+ years of experience in reporting on Agriculture, Commodities and Developmental issues. He has been with The Indian Express since 2011 and earlier worked with DNA. Partha's report about Farmers Producer Companies (FPC) as well long pieces on various agricultural issues have been cited by various academic publications including those published by the Government of India. He is often invited as a visiting faculty to various schools of journalism to talk about development journalism and rural reporting. In his spare time Partha trains for marathons and has participated in multiple marathons and half marathons. ... Read More

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