Chhagan Bhujbal files nomination for Nashik LS seat

Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal today filed his nomination papers for the Nashik Lok Sabha constituency here amid huge fanfare.
He reached the District Collectorate this afternoon accompanied by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, Congress MLA from Sinnar Manikrao Kokate and Congress district President Rajaram Pangavhane.
Earlier, Bhujbal left the Congress Committee office on busy Mahatma Gandhi road here to file his nomination, in a huge procession taken out by Congress and NCP activists along with Maharashtra Tribal Development Minister Madhukar Pichad, Congress' Vinayak Patil, RPI (Kawade faction) workers.
Criticising the Opposition parties, especially MNS and Shiv Sena, Ajit Pawar said the two estranged cousins--Raj and Uddhav Thackeray-- were quarrelling over petty issues while the BJP was busy sidelining its senior leaders.

He said the Congress and NCP government came forward to bail farmers during calamities like unseasonal rains and hailstorm and now its time that they firmly stood behind the parties.
Pawar appealed people to vote for Congress and NCP candidates in Nashik division, which comprises five districts of Nashik, Jalgaon, Dhule, Nandurbar and Ahmednagar.
Bhujbal is locked in a battle with AAP candidate and irrigation scam whistle-blower Vijay Pandhare as well as MNS candidate Pradeep Pawar and Shiv Sena leader Hemant Godse.
Godse filed his papers in the presence of Sena leaders Nilam Gorhe, Ravindra Mirlekar and BJP local leaders including city chief Ajay Boraste.