Rajan Krishna Teli

Rajan Teli was born on 25th June 1970 in Ghodge village, located in Kudal taluka. In 1985, while studying in college in Kankavali, he represented the students' union, marking the beginning of his political journey.

By 1988, Rajan became the branch chief of the Shiv Sena in Kankavali, Sindhudurg district. His leadership skills led to his appointment as Shiv Sena District Chief in 1991. Four years later, in 1995, he was elected as the District President of the Zilla Parishad in Sindhudurg. In 1997, he took on the role of Vice President of the Konkan Irrigation Corporation, further showcasing his commitment to public service.

In 2005, Shiv Sena, along with Narayan Rane, joined the National Congress and Jai Maharashtra, expanding their political reach. Rajan Teli became a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) in 2007, further establishing his influence in regional politics. By 2012, he was appointed Chairperson of the Sindhudurg District Cooperative Bank.

In the 2014 assembly elections, Deepak Kesarkar, representing Shiv Sena, defeated Rajan Teli, who was the BJP candidate, with Kesarkar receiving 70,902 votes to Teli�s 29,710.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP and Shiv Sena formed an alliance, with Kesarkar as the Shiv Sena candidate for the Sawantwadi constituency. Meanwhile, Teli contested as an independent candidate. In this election, Kesarkar garnered 69,784 votes, while Teli received 56,556 votes, resulting in a lead of 13,000 votes for Kesarkar, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly for the third time in a row from Sawantwadi.

Ahead of the 2024 assembly election, Teli quit the BJP and joined the Shiv Sena (UBT).