Andheri cop who quit force to join BJP emerges giant slayer in Nandurbar

NASHIK: BJP nominee Rajesh Padvi emerged as a giant slayer from the Shahada assembly seat in the tribal-dominated Nandubar district.
The 50-year-old former police officer defeated Congress heavyweight and former minister Padmakar Valvi by a margin of more than 7,900 votes. It was Padvi’s first election and he is “thrilled” with the result.
“Contesting polls was never on my mind.It was the BJP leaders who approached me saying I should contest from Shahada. They were looking for a fresh and young face to take on the Congress,” said Padvi.
He was posted at the Andheri police station in Mumbai when he was asked to contest elections. He, though, took some time to decide on the offer due to the risk involved in entering politics.
“I still had some years of service left and if I had failed to win, my future would have been at a crossroads. But I decided to take the plunge as the BJP, my family and well-wishers gave me the confidence. Once I made the choice I never looked back,” he said, adding he resigned from the force and contested the polls.
Padvi is married and has two daughters. His father Udesing, too, had won the Shahada seat in 2014 on a BJP ticket. This time, though, the state BJP leadership decided to go with the son.
Unhappy with being ignored, Udesing quit the BJP and contested on a Congress ticket from the Nandurbar assembly segment. He was defeated by BJP’s Vijay Kumar Gavit. “My father was keen to have another term as Shahada MLA. But the party thought otherwise. I am yet to meet my father as I am busy meeting people in my constituency.”