At 82, Madhukar Chavan is oldest candidate in Maharashtra

AURANGABAD: Former cabinet minister Madhukar Chavan of Congress is the oldest candidate in the fray for upcoming assembly election in Maharashtra .


Till the last election, veteran Peasants and Workers Party (PWP) leader and 11-time MLA Ganpatrao Deshmukh (92) from Sangola in Solapur district was the oldest candidate.

After Chavan, BJP leader Haribhau Bagde, 75, is the other older candidate in a fray this time. Bagde, who was speaker of the state legislative assembly, is seeking a re-election from Phulambri constituency in Aurangabad district.

Chavan, who is seeking the sixth term as an MLA and fifth consecutive victory from Tuljapur assembly constituency in Osmanabad district, had served as a cabinet minister of animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries department and was the deputy speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly.

Chavan, who began his career as a panchayat samiti member, went on to become an MLA and also served as chairman of Marathwada Development Board, a statutory body.

Known for his characteristic ‘dhoti kurta’ attire, the octogenarian Congress leader had secured win from Tuljapur assembly constituency by a margin over 29,400 votes against NCP despite the ‘Modi wave’ in 2014. The BJP candidate had secured a third place.

Party workers close to Chavan said the Congressman used to practice wrestling skills during his early age, which is the secret behind his sound health. “Despite being in his 80s, he still leads a very active public life. It is the reason party leadership could not think any name other than Chavan for Tuljapur constituency,” a party worker said.

This time, he is pitched against Ranajagjitsinha Patil of BJP, who along with his father and veteran leader Padmsinh Patil, has ditched NCP on the face of election to join the saffron camp. Ranajagjitsinha was keen to contest assembly poll from Osmanabad assembly constituency, but BJP top-brass has pitched him from Tuljapur, which is considered a Congress bastion.

Sena was not willing to give away Osmanabad seat to BJP in seat-sharing talks in the backdrop of arch rivalry between Patil family and Sena MP from Osmanabad Omraje Nimbalkar. Some prominent Sena leaders from Tuljapur are upset that the seat was allotted to BJP.