Capping weeks-long speculations, senior Shiv Sena Uddhav Thackeray faction leader Snehal Jagtap has switched to the NCP, days after her family and she met with NCP leader and Ajit Pawar's close aide Sunil Tatkare drew eyeballs last week.
Jagtap, daughter of former Mahad mayor and former MLA Manikrao Jagtap, was Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate against Shiv Sena Shinde faction leader Bharat Gogawale in the Mahad Assembly constituency. Gogawale defeated her by a huge margin of 26,210 votes.
An influential leader from Konkan, Jagtap was initially said to be exploring her options in the BJP, in early January after she quit the leadership post in her party.
Her desertion will leave a void in the Shiv Sena (UBT) Konkan region as the party tries to overcome the loss of Rajan Salvi, who was also a prominent leader from Ratnagiri in Konkan. Salvi switched to Shinde faction earlier this month, as a result of Operation Tiger.
Daughter of a prominent leader, Jagtap held sway in Mahad, winning over 91,000 votes, despite losing to Gogawale. She had worked hard in the constituency to earn her position in the party and the defeat had hit her morale. Though Thackeray himself tried to pacify her, he was unsuccessful.
The three districts of Ratnagiri, Sindhudurg and Raigad (excluding Mumbai Metropolitan Region areas of Pen and Alibaug) have a total of 10 Assembly seats, which were once Thackeray strongholds.
Why Jagtap is a challenge to Gogawale
Interestingly, the entry of Jagtap will alter the equations in Mahad, especially for Gogawale. Jagtap was Gogawale's opponent in Mahad and her switching sides questions his victory in the region. Also significant is the fact that it was Gogawale's political opponent Tatkare who was instrumental in bringing Jagtap to the Mahayuti.
There was an open tussle between Tatkare and Gogavale over the post of Guardian Minister after the assembly elections. However, Tatkare is yet to make a political comment on Jagtap's entry. On last week's meeting, Tatkare called it a goodwill gesture.
