Pune: NCP-Sharad Pawar Announces Candidates for Parvati, Khadakwasla, Pimpri, and Junnar
Pune, 26th October 2024: The Nationalist Congress Party – Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) has released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections. The party has declared its candidates for the Parvati, Khadakwasla, Pimpri, and Junnar constituencies in Pune District, while seat allocation within the Mahavikas Aghadi coalition is still pending.
In Parvati, NCP-SP’s Ashwini Kadam will challenge Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) incumbent MLA Madhuri Misal. In Khadakwasla, Sachin Dodake from NCP-SP will go up against BJP’s sitting MLA Bhimrao Tapkir. Both seats are expected to be tough battles for NCP-SP, although internal rifts within the BJP could potentially play in their favor, particularly against Misal and Tapkir.
In Pimpri, as well as in Hadapsar and Wadgaon Sheri constituencies, NCP-SP will face off against the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Sulakshana Sheelwant will challenge sitting MLA Anna Bansode in Pimpri. In Junnar, Satyashil Sherkar has been fielded against Ajit Pawar’s NCP candidate Atul Benke. Another anticipated NCP vs. NCP showdown is expected in Baramati, where Ajit Pawar has already declared his candidacy. NCP-SP is likely to field his nephew, Yugendra Pawar, to challenge him.
No Luck for Uddhav Sena’s Vasant More
Former corporator Vasant More, who recently joined Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) with much fanfare, has yet to secure a nomination for the upcoming elections. This comes as a surprise, especially considering More’s past loyalty to Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) Chief Raj Thackeray, whom he left prior to the Pune Lok Sabha elections after being denied a ticket. He ran unsuccessfully against BJP’s Murlidhar Mohol and Congress’s Ravindra Dhangekar in the last election.
After a brief stint with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, More joined Shiv Sena (UBT), where it was expected he would seek a nomination for either the Khadakwasla or Hadapsar constituencies. However, he has not yet been successful in securing a candidacy for the upcoming elections.
