Maharashtra Assembly Elections: RPI fields Chhota Rajan's brother Deepak Nikalje from Phaltan, to contest on BJP symbol

Underworld don Chhota Rajan's brother Deepak Nikalje will contest the upcoming Maharashtra assembly election from Phaltan seat as a Republican Party of India (RPI) candidate. Union Minister Ramdas Athawale's RPI, also an ally of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), announced Nikalje's name on Wednesday.

The RPI has been given six seats as part of the seat-sharing in the Maharashtra assembly election. Their candidates will, however, contest on BJP symbol lotus. 

Announcing the names of the candidates, Athawale said they were to get more seats but could not as Shiv Sena demanded more seats. The RPI will contest Phaltan (Satara), Malshiras (Solapur), Bhandara, Naigaon (Nanded); Pathri (Parbhani) and Mankhurd- Shivaji Nagar in Mumbai.

Athawale announced candidates for four seats and did not announce the name for Malshiras and Bhandara as there were more than one claimants.  

He announced Gautam Sonawane's name for Mankhurd- Shivaji Nagar, Deepak Nikalje for Phaltan, Mohan Fad for Pathri and Rajesh Pawar for Naigaon. 

Nikalje had earlier unsuccessfully contested from the Chembur assembly seat as RPI candidate in 2004, 2009 and 2014. He was given the Phaltan seat as Chembur has gone to Shiv Sena this time.