Maharashtra local bodies election: NCP announces names of 3 candidates; says alliance depends on Congress

Mumbai: NCP on Tuesday announced candidature for three of the six Legislative council seats which will go to polls on November 19, retaining two sitting MLCs. State NCP Chief Sunil Tatkare told PTI that Shekhar Gore has been nominated to contest Sangli-Satara local bodies seat, while Rajendra Jain (Bhandara-Gondia) and Anil Bhosale (Pune local bodies) have been retained. Tatkare said candidates for the remaining three seats — Yavatmal, Jalgaon and Nanded — would be announced later on Tuesday. When asked about alliance with Congress, he said, “Ball is in the court of the Congress.” NCP’s decision has virtually ended the chances of Congress-NCP aligning for the biennial elections to six seats from the local bodies. Congress has been demanding Yavatmal, Sangli-Satara and Bhandara-Gondia local bodies seats from the NCP’s kitty, saying that it was in a better position to win. Congress has a sitting member from the Nanded local bodies, while Jalgaon is with the BJP. Leaders of the two parties had held two rounds of meetings to finalise the seat adjustments after agreeing in principle to contest the polls in an alliance. The notification for the polls was issued on 26 October. The process of filing of nomination will end tomorrow and the last date for withdrawal of nomination is 5 November. [caption id=“attachment_3083292” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] A file photo of NCP flag. Image courtesy: Wikimedia Commons[/caption] Counting of votes will be taken up on 22 November. When contacted, sources in the State Congress said the party is firm on its demand for 3:3 ratio in seat adjustments. “Out of the six seats, where elections are scheduled, NCP has 4 sitting members while Congress and BJP has one each. It is unacceptable to us that NCP will contest four and asks us to contest one or two seats. Decisions taken six years ago can’t be followed now,” sources said. “We are still hopeful for a solution if NCP wishes. Since November 5 is the last date of withdrawal of nomination papers, the matter can be resolved. Congress is firm on decision to contest three seats in an alliance. We are open to discussion on the three seats where NCP has announced its candidates,” they added. Even though Congress has not officially announced its candidates, Mohan Kadam, brother of senior party leader Patangrao Kadam, has filed his papers for Sangli-Satara local bodies seat, according to sources. Praful Agrawal, son of Congress MLA Gopaldas Agrawal has filed his papers for Bhandara-Gondia local bodies seat, while sitting MLC Amar Rajurkar has filed papers for Nanded seat. Party sources said the candidates will be officially announced if the alliance with NCP does not materialise.