Premium
This is an archive article published on March 17, 2024

Lok Sabha elections 2024: Raju Shetti seeks Uddhav Sena’s support for Hatkanangle seat, but slams MVA

Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the party was ready to back farmer leader Raju Shetti in Lok Sabha elections 2024 .

raju shetti protestFarmer leader and former MP Raju Shetti (Express Photo by Ashish Kale)

A day after he met Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and sought his support for contesting the Hatkanangle seat in Maharashtra in Lok Sabha elections 2024, farmer leader Raju Shetti on Sunday said he does not intend to join Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ”as it has worked against the interest of farmers when it was in power.”

“Yesterday I met Uddhavji and sought his support for my candidature from Hatkanangle Lok Sabha seat,” Shetti, who heads the Swabhimani Paksha, told The Indian Express. Hatkanangle seat spans Sangli and Kolhapur districts.

Shetti said Thackeray had promised to decide in a couple of days. ”We had a cordial meeting. I told the Sena chief that they don’t have a strong candidate in Hatkanangle and, therefore, they should announce their support to me. Uddhavji has promised to decide after consulting the Sena leaders in Sangli and Kolhapur districts,” Shetti said.

When contacted, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said the Sena was ready to support Shetti but had put a condition on it. ”We are ready to support Shetty’s candidature for the Hatkanangle seat. We have told him that he should be a Shiv Sena-sponsored Maha Vikas Aghadi candidate. The ball is in his court. He told us that he would get back to us. Anyways, we will soon take the decision on his request,” Raut said.

Shetti said he could not join the MVA ahead of Lok Sabha elections 2024 because it had worked against the interest of the farmers. ”The MVA, when it was in power, had amended the law and reduced the compensation given to farmers to acquire their land for development purposes. The government is constructing Shaktipeeth Expressway from Nagpur to Goa. For this, it is acquiring 27,000 acres of land, but the farmers will be getting paltry compensation due to the amendment made by the MVA during its tenure. The Mahayuti government has made no change in it. And therefore, we are against both MVA and Mahayuti,” he said.

In 2019, Shetti lost to Dhairyasheel Mane from the Hatkanangle seat. At that time, Mane was with the Shiv Sena, led by Uddhav Thackeray. Since then, he has switched allegiance to the Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Mane is likely to be fielded again by the Shinde Sena.

Shetti said he has approached Uddhav Sena for support, not the ruling Mahayuti alliance of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde), the BJP and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar). ”But some Mahayuti leaders who approached me urged me to contest on a BJP ticket. Why should I contest on a BJP ticket when I have my own separate party? I am not interested in joining Mahayuti,” he said.

Story continues below this ad

Shetti said since both the MVA and Mahayuti are ready to support him, they should ensure his unopposed election. ”Both MVA and Mahayuti are not against me and are ready to support me. Why can’t they ensure an unopposed election to the Lok Sabha? Can’t they have one strong farmers’ voice in the Lok Sabha?” he asked.

Manoj Dattatrye More is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, having been with the publication since 1992. Based in Pune, he is a veteran journalist with a 33-year career that spans editorial desk work, investigative reporting, and political analysis. Professional Legacy Experience: He spent his first 16 years on the editorial desk before moving into active field reporting. He has written over 20,000 stories, including more than 10,000 bylined articles. Impact Journalism: He is widely respected for "campaign-style" reporting that leads to tangible social change. Road Safety: His decade-long campaign regarding the dangerous state of the Pune-Mumbai highway in Khadki resulted in a ₹23 crore reconstruction project in 2006, which dramatically reduced fatalities. Environmental Protection: His reports against tree cutting on the Pune-Mumbai and Pune-Nashik highways saved approximately 2,000 trees. Anti-Corruption: During the COVID-19 pandemic, he exposed a scam where doctors were being asked to pay bribes for government jobs, resulting in them being hired without payment. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Manoj More's recent work focuses heavily on the shifting political landscape of Maharashtra and civic governance in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area: 1. Political Shifts & Alliances "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): A major report on the local self-government election results, detailing the NCP’s stronghold in Baramati, Indapur, and Lonavala. "BJP ropes in 13 ex-corporators, deals major blow to NCP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on a significant political defection in Pimpri-Chinchwad as the BJP gears up for civic polls. "Congress opts for solo BMC run as alliance talks with Sena (UBT) collapse" (Dec 17, 2025): Covering the breakdown of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) talks for the Mumbai civic elections. "NCP(SP)'s Rahul Kalate, Sena (UBT) leader Sanjog Waghere set to join BJP" (Dec 19, 2025): Detailing high-profile party-hopping ahead of the municipal elections. 2. Civic & Administrative Accountability "PCMC draws ire for issuing tenders worth Rs 250 crore just before poll code" (Dec 17, 2025): An investigative piece on the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s last-minute spending spree before election restrictions. "93 killed in 76 accidents in five years: Bypass service roads in Pune remain undeveloped for 18 yrs" (Nov 16, 2025): A critical look at the long-delayed infrastructure projects contributing to fatalities on Pune’s bypass roads. 3. Social & Labor Issues "As state says TCS has laid off 376 employees: FITE flags figures, say nearly 2,500 were forced to quit" (Dec 11, 2025): Investigating conflicting reports regarding IT sector layoffs in Maharashtra. "Maharashtra govt move to 'downgrade' Aadhaar cards" (Nov 30, 2025): Reporting on the state’s decision to require additional documents alongside Aadhaar to combat identity misuse. Signature Beat Manoj More is the definitive voice on Pimpri-Chinchwad, an industrial hub he has covered for three decades. His reporting is characterized by its aggressive stance against local "gondaism" (thuggery) and a relentless focus on civic infrastructure—choked drains, garbage management, and public transport. X (Twitter): @manojmore91982 ... Read More


Click here to join Express Pune WhatsApp channel and get a curated list of our stories

Advertisement
Loading Recommendations...
Advertisement
Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments