Cong, NCP start process toselect state poll candidates

Nagpur: Congress and NCP have started the process for selecting candidates for assembly elections due in October this year.

BJP is yet to start the process while Shiv Sena district president Prakash Jadhav said it was the local Sena sampark pramukh who will chose the candidates. While interviews of NCP aspirants have been conducted, that of the Congress hopefuls will be held on August 6 and 7.

NCP leaders said they wanted five out of 12 seats in the district. “Katol and Hingna are a must. We want either Kamptee or Umred in rural. In city, we want any two seats out of the six,” said Shivraj ‘Baba’ Gujar and Anil Ahirkar.

The list of Congress aspirants throws up some interesting facts. District Congress president Rajendra Mulak and former cabinet ministers Nitin Raut and Anees Ahmed have not sought a ticket. In NCP, heavyweights Anil Deshmukh and Ramesh Bang too have not applied. These leaders are likely to bypass the selection process and get a ticket directly.

Former BJP MLA Vijay Ghodmare has sought a ticket from NCP from his former constituency Hingna, which is currently represented by Sameer Meghe of BJP. The ex-MLA has to contend with Bang.

Another interesting fact is that Praful Gudadhe, who contested against chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in 2014 from Nagpur South-West, wants to contest from Nagpur West this time.

He apparently feels that he stands no chance against the CM. He, however, will have to compete with city Congress president Vikas Thakre for the ticket. Other known names from this constituency are Narendra Jichkar, Sandesh Singalkar, Harish Gwalbansi, Kamlesh Chaudhari, KK Pandey and Ramkrishna ‘Munna’ Ojha. Two known names are in the race for this constituency from NCP too — Prakash Gajbhiye and Ganga Prasad Gwalbansi.

Only three Congress workers have sought ticket against Fadnavis — Shilpa Bodakhe, Kishor Umathe, Rekha Barhate. There are two NCP workers in the race — Mahadeo Fuke and Dilip Pankule.

Several known names are in the race for Nagpur South — Vishal Muttemwar, Atul Londhe, Girish Pandav, Tanaji Wanve, Nitin Kumbhalkar, Sanjay Mahakalkar and Moreshwar Sable.

Atul Londhe and Tanaji Wanve have sought ticket from Nagpur East too. They have to contend with Abhijit Wanjari and others. NCP’s Duneshwar Pethe also wants ticket from here.

Many workers are in the race for Congress ticket from Nagpur Central — Bunty Shelke, Raman Thaokar, Raman Paigwar, SQ Zama and Yashwant Bajirao. Ahil Ahirkar and Nutan Rewatkar have sought NCP ticket.

Congress’s Ramtek Lok Sabha candidate Kishor Gajbhiye has sought ticket from Nagpur North. Others in the race are Sandeep Sahare and Manoj Sangole.