NCP fields party MLA Sangram Jagtap in Ahmednagar LS seat

The NCP Wednesday announced candidature of party MLA Sangram Jagtap from Ahmednagar Lok Sabha seat, which has become a bone of contention between the Sharad Pawar-led party and the Congress.

Senior Congress leader Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil's son and new BJP entrant Sujay Vikhe Patil is in the contention as a saffron party nominee from the seat.

The announcement on Jagtap's candidature was made by state NCP president Jayant Patil.

Sangram's father Arun Jagtap is an MLC. Sangram is the son-in-law of BJP MLA from Rahuri, Shivajirao Kardile.

Sujay joined the BJP recently in the wake of the NCP leadership refusing to exchange the Ahmednagar seat with Congress.

Sujay, a neurosurgeon, wanted to make his political debut from this constituency.

As per the current seat-sharing formula between the two opposition parties, the Congress will contest the Shirdi Lok Sabha seat (previously known as Ahmednagar-North), while the NCP will field its candidate in Ahmednagar (previously Ahmednagar-South).

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis recently said he would recommend the name of Sujay as the BJP candidate from Ahmednagar seat. However, formal announcement of his candidature is awaited.

Former Union minister and BJP leader Dilip Gandhi is the sitting MP from Ahmednagar.

Elections for all the 48 seats in Maharashtra will be held in four phases next month.