Suspense finally over, BJP picks Narayan Rane for Ratnagiri

The seat is currently held by Vinayak Raut of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) who has remained loyal to the Shiv Sena (UBT) and declared as the party’s candidate for the election.

The Eknath Shinde camp had claimed the seat, with Kiran Samant, brother of Industries minister Uday Samant, expressing interest in contesting. Despite several meetings with chief minister Eknath Shinde, the BJP finally decided to field Rane.

Though the decision is likely to upset the Samant family, which hails from the Ratnagiri district, they have said that they will support Rane in the polls. The Shiv Sena (UBT) has a strong base in the Konkan belt, with many of its prominent leaders and functionaries hailing from the Ratnagiri Sindhudurg area. The Thackerays have extensively toured the region and have declared their support for Raut who began campaigning a few weeks ago.