Amravati, Maharashtra: Amravati locals have shown support for Ravi Rana, the candidate from the Badnera legislative assembly constituency. They say, “He has a good reputation; he can win. His wife, Navneet Rana, has also done good work in the area.”
There were rumours that Navneet Rana, who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) from Amravati in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate, might contest the assembly elections. However, she chose not to, following her recent loss in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from the same constituency, where she contested on a BJP ticket.
In an exclusive conversation with The New Indian ahead of the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, the Badnera candidate clarified, ‘She never planned to contest the assembly election, but after five years, she will surely run in the next Lok Sabha elections on a BJP ticket like this year.’
When The New Indian went on ground, Amravati locals expressed their admiration for the couple. Speaking about Navneet Rana, one resident said, “If she had been a candidate in the assembly elections, I would have voted for her, despite her recent loss in the Lok Sabha elections.”
A flower seller in Amravati added, “Navneet Rana has always worked for the poor; my support is always with her.” Another resident remarked, “I would like to see Congress take Amravati, but Navneet Rana, who is allied with the BJP, is also a hard worker, and her husband, Ravi Rana, who is contesting in Badnera, also has a good chance of winning.”
This support has continued despite Ravi Rana’s controversial remark on the Ladki Behen Yojana. During a program, he stated, “If our government comes to power, we will increase the amount provided by the Ladki Behen Yojana from Rs. 1500 to Rs. 3000. For this, I need your blessings, but if you do not bless me, I will even take back the Rs. 1500.”
In conversation with The New Indian the Badnera candidate clarified, “There was some confusion and miscommunication. I didn’t mean that I would stop the scheme; I meant that if our government doesn’t come to power, the opposition might stop it.”