NCP announces 18 candidates in Maharashtra

The party has made an attempt to give representation to non maratha communities including other backward class, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe and also to three women

The ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today announced list of 18 of the total 22 candidates in Maharashtra for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. The party, which is criticized for being Maratha dominated party, has made an attempt to give representation to non maratha communities including other backward class, scheduled caste and scheduled tribe and also to three women.

However, the party has deferred to release nominees for four seats due to intra party differences and also time taken to select appropriate candidate with winning prospects.  

NCP, which had won 8 seats by contesting 22 in 2009 polls, plans to increase its tally to double digit in the coming general elections.

The list includes union minister for heavy industries Praful Patel (Bhandara Gondia), Maharashtra minister for public works Chhagan Bhujbal (Nashik), former state deputy chief minister Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil (Madha), former minister Pradmasinhh Patil (Osmanabad), NCP chief Sharad Pawar's daughter Supriya Sule (Baramati), Chhattrapati Shivaji's descendant Udayanraje Bhosale (Satara), former minister Satish Patil (Jalgaon), Sanjeev Naik (Thane), Sanjay Patil (Mumbai north east), Anand Paranjape, who had elected on the Shiv Sena ticket in 2009 polls (Kalyan Dombivli), Rajiv Rajale (Ahmednagar), Manish Jain (Raver), Krishnarao Ingale (Buldhana), Devdatta Nikam (Shirur), Vijay Bhamle (Parbhani), Dhananjay Mahadik (Kolhapur), Navneet Rana (Amravati) and Bharati Pawar (Dindori).

Bhujbal and Ingale come from the politically crucial Mali connunity in other backward class. Naik and Sanjay Patil, who were repeated by NCP, hail from the Agri community which is historically an Inddo-Aryan ethnic group. Manish Jain, who was elected as an independent to the Maharashtra Legislative Council, belongs to Jain community which was recently accorded minority status by the Centre. Navneet Rana, who had acted in south Indian films, comes from SC while Bharati Pawar, who is daughter in law of former minister AT Pawar hails from ST. Praful Patel, who is a bule eyed boy of NCP chief Sharad Pawar, belongs to the Gujarati community.

NCP general secretary DP Tripathi said the candidates for Beed, Maval, Hingoli and Hatkalangale will be announced shortly.