Munde's daughter in BJP's second list for Maha polls

BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde's daughter Pankaja figures in the second list of the party nominees for the October 13 Maharashtra assembly elections.

BJP general secretary Gopinath Munde's daughter Pankaja figures in the second list of the party nominees for the October 13 Maharashtra assembly elections.

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The list comprising 20 names was released on Monday. The first list, consisting of 66 candidates, was announced on September 19.

BJP is contesting 119 and ally Shiv Sena 169 of the total 288 seats in the state.

Though a greenhorn in electoral politics, Pankaja has been helping her father, Lok Sabha MP from Beed in Marathwada region, in handling affairs of his constituency. She had actively participated in Munde's campaign in the 2004 assembly polls from Renapur constituency too.

The list also includes former BJP MP Subhash Deshmukh who lost to NCP chief Sharad Pawar in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year from Madha. Deshmukh has been fielded from Tuljapur assembly constituency.

Munde is understood to have been instrumental in securing assembly nomination for his niece Poonam Mahajan, daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, for Ghatkopar West assembly seat.

Poonam's name figured in the first list of 66 party candidates despite opposition from supporters of local BJP corporator Praveen Chheda.