Swabhimani Paksha leader and former lawmaker Raju Shetti said Monday they have decided to shun coalition politics and go alone in future elections. Shetti, who was speaking to The Indian Express, said this decision was taken after the bitter experiences they had and also because of the overall degradation of politics in Maharashtra. “We have decided to remain away from the slugfest and chart our own course,” said Shetti. Shetti’s outfit the Swabhimani Paksha, the political wing of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, was part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi with its lone MLA Devendra Bhuyar remaining with the coalition till the end. However, Bhuyar was evicted from the outfit for his alleged anti-party activities. The Swabhimani Paksha has representations in Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samitis in various parts of the state. Although Shetti lost the 2019 elections from his home constituency of Hathkanagale in the Kolhapur district, the farmer’s organisation has pockets of influence in the cane belt and also in some other parts of the state. Explaining his decision to boycott all parties, Shetti said the level of politics in the state has gone down significantly and thus to be associated with any established political party is not feasible for them. “The recent happenings in the state have proved that political parties have divorced all semblance of ideology and it’s a free for all. In such circumstances as a farmer’s organisation it would not be feasible for us to be part of such an environment,” he said. Henceforth, Shetti said, the organisation will fight all elections on the local level, state or national level on their own. Shetti said that with politics becoming synonymous with money and muscle power, a small organisation like the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghtana would have to rely on donations from its members to fight elections. “Since our inception, we have relied on donations from our members and we will continue doing so. Recently, farmers pulled in money to purchase an SUV worth Rs 42 lakh so that the founder can travel across the state. So, I am not much worried about finances,” he said. Shetti, however, said they would be open to adjustments on the local level. He added that in the Shirol taluka of the Kolhapur district, his home taluka, they would be open for adjustment with local Shiv Sena leaders even as the Paksha’s elected MLA has decided to side with the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the party.
