This Maharashtra Doc Leaves Hosp Job for Better Cow Breed and Cancer-free India, Banks on Polls for Change

Mumbai: Even as political bigwigs like Parth Pawar and Shrirang Barane have hogged the limelight in Maharashtra's Maval, it's the area's independent candidate who has made it to household conversations.

Dr Navnath Dudhal, who has been a consultant at Tata Cancer Hospital for 25 years, is the latest candidate to jump into the poll fray. While leaders talk about the infrastructure and basic amenities, Dudhal has just two clear objectives — improve breeding of local cows and eradicate cancer from India.

The doctor quit his job to make people aware about the menace of cancer and is working towards improving breeds of local cows. He has been running mass campaigns to reach out to the villagers and assist them in diary production.

The candidate's daily routine includes talking to small group of villagers for nearly 20 minutes and helping them understand methods to improve their cows' breed. He also tells them how cancer could be controlled through cow milk, ghee, butter milk and cow dung.

Apart from this, he worships cow during his door-to-door campaigns in villages.

A Doctor Who Advices People Against Medicine

Dudhal's peculiar election banner has attracted many eyes. The banner says — "do not take medicines". The independent candidate tells voters about ill effects of medicines during his small community meetings.

Poll Arithmetic in Maval

Maval Parliamentary constituency was carved out in 2008. The first election was held in this constituency in 2009 in which Shiv Sena’s Gajanand emerged victorious. In 2014, Shiv Sena offered this seat to Shrirang Barane and he won from this seat by a margin of more than 1.5 lakh votes.

Had triangular contest not been here in Maval, despite Modi wave, it was not possible for Shiv Sena candidate to have easy win from this seat. Lakhsman Pandurang Jagtap fighting from this seat on the ticket of PWP party, had secured second position while NCP candidate remained on third position.

Shrirang Barane, Shiv Sena (5,12,223)

Lakshman Pandurang Jagtap, PWP Party (3,54,829)

Rahul Suresh Narvekar, NCP (1,82,293)