MUMBAI: Maharashtra minister of state for agriculture Sadabhau Khot on Thursday launched a new party at a function in Kolhapur.
Khot was expelled from Raju Shetti’s Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana (SSS) last month for remaining in the ministry despite the party opposing the Devendra Fadnavis government’s ‘anti-farmer’ policies.
“We are starting this new organization, not against anyone but to be able to give justice to farmers,” Khot said as he launched the organization.
“The organization shall ensure justice for all. There won’t be any inquiry against anyone and no one would be expelled from this organization,” Khot said while avoiding a direct criticism of Shetti. “We have a target of raising a force of 17 lakh members from 353 talukas of Maharashtra,” he added.
Khot also said he would contest the Lok Sabha polls from Hatkanangale constituency in Kolhapur district in 2019. Shetti currently respresents the constituency in Lok Sabha.
“Last time, I contested the Lok Sabha election from Madha. I had no network in that area and still I was able to get 4.64 lakh votes. However, Hatkalangale constituency is close to my heart. I have worked there so I will easily defeat anyone,” Koth said.
Khot and Shetti started out together in politics, especially farmer agitation, in Kolhapur district as part of the Shetkari Sanghatana started by the late farmer leader Saharad Joshi in the 1980s. In the late 1990s after differences arose over an agitation for better sugarcane and milk prices, they formed a separate organization.
Initially they aligned with local Congress leaders but drifted away to join hands with the BJP just ahead of the 2014 elections. After Khot became a minister last year, differences between him and Shetti started surfacing.