Alibag, October 03: Two of the seven assembly segments in the coastal Raigad districts–Shriwardhan and Pen–are plagued by rebel candidates from the ruling Congress-NCP, giving sleepless night to Maharashtra ministers Sunil Tatkare and Ravi Patil. In Shriwardhan constituency, Power Minister Sunil Tatkare (NCP) is pitted against Congress rebel Gulam Peshimam who is known to be a close aide of former Union Minister Abdul Rehman Antulay.
Tatkare is facing Tukaram Surve of Shiv Sena and supported by the Peasants” and Workers Party which has strong hold in the region. There are eight candidates including Farid Ubhare (BSP) and Narendrasinh of Prakash Ambedkar-led BRP-BMS in fray.
Presence of Gulam Peshimam could make the going tough for Sunil Tatkare, say political observers. In Pen assembly segment, Maharashtra Minister and Congress nominee Ravi Patil is facing his cabinet colleague Sunil Tatkare”s brother Anil Tatkare as NCP rebel candidate.
Patil is pitted against Dhairyasheel Patil (PWP), supported by Shiv Sena. The Pen segment has around 2.44 lakh voters.
Interestingly, there are three more Ravi Patils in the fray as Independent candidates.
—-PTI–