Uttam Khobragade likely to contest LS election from Ramtek

Uttam Khobragade, retired IAS officer and father of Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade who was at the centre of an ugly India-US spat, is the likely Lok Sabha candidate for Ramtek constituency in Nagpur district for the upcoming elections from the Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party of India (RPI). [caption id=“attachment_1327619” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Devyani’s father Uttam Khobragade. PTI[/caption] According to RPI leaders, the party has been in touch with Khobragade for the past couple of months. “After Devyani Khobragade arrived in Mumbai last month, I met her and her father Uttam Khobragade. We had a discussion on various issues. During the meeting, he expressed a desire to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Ramtek constituency,” Ramdas Atahwale president of RPI, told Firstpost. Athawale added that the issue is being discussed with Shiv Sena and BJP leaders. “We have asked the Shiv Sena to give Ramtek seat to RPI and our candidate will be Uttam Khobragade,” Athawale added. The RPI is in an alliance with the Sena and BJP in Maharashtra, the ‘Mahayuti’ or grand alliance. At present, the Ramtek Lok Sabha constituency is represented by the Congress’s Mukul Wasnik, who won by 16,700 votes defeating the Shiv Sena’s candidate Krupal Tumane in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Another RPI leader said the party believes it can win the seat easily considering the Dalit voters in constituency. “Some factors such as 30-35% Dalit votes, sympathy for Khobragade after his daughter’s controversy and the Shiv Sena vote share will contribute to our winning the seat easily,” said a senior RPI leader. The leader further said that thepRty has asked the Shiv Sena to give two Lok Sabha seats to RPI. “The party workers are also insisting that we should field Khobragade from Ramtek,” he added. Uttam Khobragade also confirmed that he hopes to contest the election from the Ramtek constituency. “I will be happy to contest from Ramtek as it is my ‘karmabhumi’. I have worked there for Dalits and Adivasis and they are with me. It will give me a chance to serve them and the nation,” said Uttam Khobragade.