The Congress on Thursday announced its candidates for three assembly constituencies in Pune district in its first list, fielding sitting MLAs Ravindra Dhangekar from Kasba Peth, Sanjay Jagtap from Purandar, and Sangram Thopte from Bhor.
However, suspense continues over the Pune Cantonment and Shivajinagar constituencies, where the party has yet to finalise candidates. In Pune Cantonment, Ramesh Bagwe and Avinash Salve are considered front runners for the ticket. In Shivajinagar, Congress leader Datta Bahirat is the frontrunner although another aspirant Sunny Nimhan is also seeking nomination.
In Kasba Peth, Dhangekar gained prominence in 2023 when he won the by-election, breaking the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) three-decade-long hold on the seat. However, during the Lok Sabha elections, Dhangekar was defeated by BJP’s Murlidhar Mohol by a margin of around 1.25 lakh votes.
Dhangekar said, “This candidature is not just mine but belongs to the common people of Kasba assembly constituency. I promise that my service to the people will continue uninterrupted. I am deeply grateful to the party leadership for giving me the opportunity to contest again.”
The Congress has also confirmed Vishwajeet Kadam as its candidate for the Palus Kadegaon constituency, where Kadam has been a two-term MLA.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress has also confirmed Vishwajeet Kadam as its candidate for the Palus Kadegaon constituency, where Kadam has been a two-term MLA.
{{/usCountry}}In its first list, the party also awarded tickets to prominent leaders like Prithviraj Chavan (Karad South) and both sons of the late Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh—Amit Deshmukh (Latur Urban) and Dhiraj Deshmukh (Latur Rural). Senior leader Balasaheb Thorat’s son, Vijay Thorat, also secured a ticket from Sangamner.