Maha polls: NCP releases 3rd list, Nawab Malik's name missing

Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): The NCP, led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Sunday released its third list of four nominees for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, though former minister Nawab Malik's name was missing this time too, especially in the wake of strong opposition from party's ally BJP. The NCP has renominated Dilip Bankar from the Niphad constituency while it fielded Vijaysinh Pandit from Gevrai, Sachin Patil from Phaltan and Kashinath Date from Parner. So far, the NCP has announced 49 candidates and the party was expecting a total of 55 to 56 seats in its quota for the Assembly election slated for November 20.

State unit chief Sunil Tatkare, who announced the third list, said: "Nawab Malik is a senior party leader and our colleague. We will meet him and discuss. There are three more days (October 29 is the last date for filing nominations). The party will soon announce the candidate for the Shivaji Nagar-Mankhurd constituency (from where Nawab Malik has said he will contest against Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi)." The NCP has nominated Nawab Malik's daughter Sana Malik from Anushakti Nagar, which is currently represented by him. Tatkare's comment is important as Mumbai BJP unit Ashish Shelar has categorically said that the party will not support Nawab Malik.

He further said: "We are against Nawab Malik. Whether or not to announce his candidacy will be up to his party leaders to decide. But the BJP workers will not work for Nawab Malik, who is accused of having ties with Dawood. And we are firm on our decision." In the Phaltan constituency, the NCP and BJP were locked in tough negotiations as both had staked their claims on the seat. However, with the intervention of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the NCP has got the Phaltan seat in its quota and has fielded Sachin Patil. Recently, the NCP legislator Deepak Chavan deserted the party and went back to the Sharad Pawar faction. Chavan has been nominated by the NCP SP from Phaltan, a bastion of Ramraje Nimbalkar who hails from the royal family.

Although Ramraje remains with the Ajit Pawar faction, his brothers and supporters have recently joined the Sharad Pawar faction with a resolve to elect Chavan from the Phaltan constituency. The NCP has renominated Dilip Bankar for the second time from Niphad though his name was missing in the two lists announced earlier. The NCP has nominated Kashinath Date from Parner where he is pitted against Rani Lanke, who is the NCP-SP nominee and the wife of Sharad Pawar faction MP Nilesh Lanke.