Congress, NCP finalise more names for Assembly elections

In its fourth list of 17 candidates, the Congress has fielded Ashish Deshmukh against CM Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur South West. The party has replaced its Nandurbar

In its fourth list of 17 candidates, the Congress has fielded Ashish Deshmukh against CM Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur South West. The party has replaced its Nandurbar candidate after Udesing K Padvi, sitting BJP MLA from Shahada, quit the party on being denied the candidature. Padvi has been pitted against Vijaykumar Gavit. The party has fielded its former MLA Baldev Khosa from Versova, where former Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam apparently had recommended name of his supporter Rais Lashkaria.

The Congress has also changed its Sillod candidate by fielding Kaisar Azad to replace Prabhakar Palodkar. It has renominated DS Ahire from Sakri.

The Nationalist Congress Party on Thursday released its third list of candidates, naming senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s son Pankaj. It has also given candidature to Baban Shinde, sitting MLA from Madha constituency in Solapur. The list has 20 names, including four sitting MLAs and 16 new faces.

The other two sitting MLAs are Suresh Lad (Karjat) in Raigad and Madhusudan Kendre (Gangakhed) in Parbhani district. Meanwhile, Amit Ghoda, Shiv Sena MLA from Palghar, joined the NCP on Thursday after Sena decided to give Shriniwas Wanga ticket on this seat. The NCP is likely to give Ghoda an Assembly ticket. The party is likely to field former BSP state president Suresh Mane to take on Aaditya Thackeray in Worli. So far, the NCP has declared 97 names as its candidates.

According to the EC, 1,423 candidates filed nominations in the state on Thursday. So far, 1,792 candidates have filed nominations.