147 candidates in fray for first phase of polling in Maha

As many as 147 candidates are left in the fray for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra which go to the polls in the first phase on April 11, as the nomination papers of 37 candidates were rejected during the scrutiny, an Election Commission official said Wednesday.

The scrutiny of papers took place Tuesday. A total of 184 candidates had filed papers for Wardha, Nagpur, Ramtek, Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Chandrapur and Yavatmal-Washim seats.

Union ministers Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur) and senior Congress leader Manikrao Thakre (Yavatmal-Washim) are among prominent candidates in the fray.

The last date for withdrawal of nominations is March 28.

A total of 323 candidates have filed nominations for ten seats -- Buldhana, Akola, Amravati, Hingoli, Nanded, Parbhani, Beed, Osmanabad, Latur and Solapur -- where polling will take place in the second phase.

Prominent leaders in the fray during the second phase include former Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde (Solapur) and state congress chief Ashok Chavan (Nanded).

Scrutiny of papers for the second phase took place Wednesday, but election authorities said a consolidated list of candidates after the scrutiny will be available late in the night.

The last date for withdrawal for the second phase is March 29.

The rest of the constituencies in Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha, will witness polling on April 23 and 29. Notification for the third phase which covers 14 constituencies will be issued Thursday.