No poll pact yet, Congress, NCP focus on probable candidates

With seat-sharing between Congress and NCP yet to be formally announced for the next month's Maharashtra Assembly elections, state units of both parties have begun the process of finalising the list of candidates.

With seat-sharing between Congress and NCP yet to be formally announced for the next month's Maharashtra Assembly elections, state units of both parties have begun the process of finalising the list of candidates.

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NCP state leadership is scrutinising the list of applications received at district headquarters, while Congress had decided to convene a meeting of Parliamentary Board from September 5 to meet the prospective candidates.

However, the meeting has been postponed following the death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Congress leader Y S Rajasekhara Reddy in a helicopter crash.

Congress, sharing power with Sharad Pawar's NCP in the state, has already submitted a list of prospective candidates to Parliamentary Board. Instead of inviting applications, the State unit had asked district chiefs to forward names of probable candidates in all the 288 constituencies.

NCP spokesman Madan Bafna told PTI that his party is expected to soon finalise the first list of 30 names, which includes prominent leaders like Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal and Water Resources Minister Ajit Pawar.

Maharashtra Congress spokesman Hussain Dalwai said the formal announcement of a poll pact from Delhi is expected to be delayed by a day or two due to Reddy's death.