At the time of the general election in May this year, of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra, the tussle between ruling Mahayuti allies – CM Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the BJP - had been the fiercest over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituency. Both the BJP, by way of the Rane clan and Narayan Rane, and the Sena, in form of Kiran Samant, brother of minister Uday Samant, staking claim.
Kiran, had been eagerly vying for a ticket, was believed to be on the verge of rebellion and had even gone ‘out of range’ at one point. However, the Samant brothers had backed down and ultimately ceded the nomination to Narayan Rane, who won the Lok Sabha.
This time, it is Kiran who is the Assembly election fray from Rajapur, which is part of the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency.
The dominance of the Samant brothers in Ratnagiri has emerged as a pivotal force in Konkan’s political landscape ahead of Assembly polls. They are not just contenders but represent a burgeoning political dynasty in the verdant coastal belt.
The Samants’ ascent is rooted in their ability to engage effectively with the electorate and navigate the treacherous waters of coalition politics. Uday Samant, who is seeking re-election from the Ratnagiri Assembly seat for the fifth consecutive term, already wields significant influence as the state’s Industry Minister.
This, coupled with Kiran’s growing base and grassroots supporters, has ensconced the siblings in a uniquely dominant position throughout Ratnagiri, a constituency that has been a stronghold of the undivided Shiv Sena.
Ravindra Samant, the siblings’ father, was a prominent contractor. Uday entered the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly at just 26, winning two consecutive elections on a Nationalist Congress Party ticket before joining Shiv Sena in 2014. His appeal among Ratnagiri’s youth stems from his active engagement in local cultural and religious events, generous support for various causes, and advocacy for sports initiatives, all of which have helped him establish a strong political base in the region.
Uday’s hold over his constituency is said to be so formidable, that opposition parties are compelled to tread cautiously when selecting candidates to challenge him. As Industries minister, he will naturally be touting the investments brought by him during his tenure.
Likewise, though this is Kiran’s debut in the Assembly poll fray from the Rajapur Assembly segment, he can hardly be called a neophyte in politics. Kiran, a prominent figure within Ratnagiri’s government contractor lobby and a key enabler in employment generation in the Konkan, oversees development projects right from the Zilla level onwards. He has running campaigns in several elections.
Kiran’s local base makes him a formidable contender for three-term MLA, incumbent Rajan Salvi of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT).
Salvi, who has initially supported the controversial Nanar-Barsu refinery project, had later reversed his stance, raising questions about the potential repercussions of this shift in the coming contest. Then there is the question whether the Muslim community in Ratnagiri’s Sakhri Nate, which previously voted as a bloc for Uddhav Thackeray in the Lok Sabha elections, will do so this time as Kiran Samant, too, has effectively built a rapport among minorities. Ramdas Kadam, a prominent leader from the Shinde camp, who vocally protested against the BJP’s claim over the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha seat, will throw his weight behind the Samant brothers as well.
As the election season heats up, all eyes will be on Ratnagiri, where the Samant brothers’ fortunes will not only impact their political ambitions but also signal the future trajectory of the Shiv Sena’s dominance in the Konkan.
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