A week before polls, 10 opposition leaders join NCP (SP)

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday welcomed around 10 leaders, mostly from BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP

Pune: With only one week remaining for the state assembly elections, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday welcomed around 10 leaders, mostly from the Bharatiya Janata Party and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday welcomed around 10 leaders, mostly from BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.  ((PIC FOR REPRESENTATION))

The leaders are mainly from Wadgaonsheri and Khadakwasla assembly constituency areas.

In Wadgaonsheri constituency, former BJP corporator Rekha Tingre and her husband Chandrakant Tingre have joined the Sharad Pawar camp. The development will benefit NCP (SP) candidate Bapusaheb Pathare who is fighting against sitting MLA Sunil Tingre of the Ajit Pawar faction.

In Khadakwasla assembly constituency, BJP’s Sameer Dhankawde joined the NCP (SP) that has fielded Sachin Dodke against BJP’s three-term MLA Bhimrao Tapkir and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s (MNS) Mayuresh Wanjale.

Former standing committee chairman Dilip Tupe and former chairman of Sanmitra Sahkari Bank Anil Tupe, both from Hadapsar, have joined the NCP (SP) faction. The shift is advantageous for NCP (SP) candidate Prashant Jagtap, who is running against sitting MLA Chetan Tupe of NCP.

Ankush Kakade of NCP (SP) said that leaders joining the party will better its prospects in Hadapsar, Khadakwasla and Wadgaonsheri.