23 Sep : The Congress and NCP on Wednesday announced the first list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections since the NCP announced the first list of 81 candidates accommodating a number of Ministers in the outgoing alliance government.
The Congress released a list of 159 candidates out of which 77 are new faces.
11 Ministers have been giving tickets again while 7 standing MLAs were denied ticket.
Prominent among those who figure in the list included Deputy Chief Minsiter Chhagan Bujpal from Yeola, NCP Maharashtra President R R Patil from Tasgaon and Home Minister Jayant Patil from Islampur.
The Sharad Pawar-led party, which is a part of ruling alliance with Congress in the state for the last 10 years, is contesting 114 of the total 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra while Congress is contesting remaining 174.
The seat-sharing arrangement was formally announced in Delhi late last night.
Bhujbal would be contesting from Yevla in Nashik district from where he won the 2004 Assembly elections.
R R Patil is contesting from Tasgaon-Kavthe Mahankal in Sangli district.
Ajit Pawar is seeking e-election from Baramati while Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil has been fielded by the party from Pandharpur in Solapur district.
NCP has also given ticket to minister of state Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, son of senior NCP leader Padmasinh Patil, who is in jail in connection with Pawanraje Nimbalkar murder case.