Mumbai, October 25: Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) released its first list of 38 candidates on Wednesday, October 23. The NCP has fielded Deputy Chief Minister and NCP President Ajit Pawar from the Baramati assembly constituency. Notably, the NCP has re-nominated 26 sitting MLAs, including Chhagan Bhujbal from Yeola and Dilip Walse Patil from Ambegaon seats, respectively. Besides, its MahaYuti alliance partners, BJP, released a list of 99 candidates, whereas the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena announced names of candidates for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha polls.

NCP's first list also features sitting legislators Sulbha Khodke from the Amravati seat and Hiraman Khoskar from the Igatpuri constituency. Both Khodke and Khoskar are former Congress leaders who recently switched to the Pawar-led NCP. The NCP Ajit Pawar faction has also nominated Bharat Gavit, son of late Congress leader Manikrao Gavit, who has been given a ticket from Navapur. As political parties continue to release their candidate lists for assembly elections, let's take a look at some of the key candidates featured in the first list of Ajit Pawar's NCP. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: NCP Releases First List of 38 Candidates, Ajit Pawar Contesting From Baramati; Full List Here.

Ajit Pawar Renominated from Baramati

Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar will contest the forthcoming assembly elections in Maharashtra from his home turf, Baramati, which will once again witness a Pawar vs Pawar battle. Ajit Pawar is up against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, who has been fielded by the Sharad Pawar-led NCP. It must be noted that Ajit Pawar has been the MLA of Baramati since 1991, thus proving that he has been consistently winning elections. It is to be seen if Ajit Pawar can retain Baramati or if Yugendra Pawar will emerge victorious.

Chhagan Bhujbal to Fight from Yeola

Chhagan Bhujbal, a cabinet minister in the Eknath Shinde government, will contest the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha polls from Yeola. Bhujbal, who was part of the undivided NCP before shifting sides with Ajit Pawar's faction, has been elected to the Maharashtra legislative assembly for four terms as NCP leader since 2004. In the 2019 assembly elections, Chhagan Bhujbal defeated Shiv Sena leader Sambhaji Sahebrao Pawar to win the Yeola assembly constituency.

Dhananjay Munde Aims to Retain Parli Seat

Another cabinet minister of the MahaYuti alliance, Dhananjay Munde, will contest the Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 from Parli. A sitting MLA, Dhananjay Munde, won the Parli seat in the 2019 assembly elections after he defeated the BJP leader and his cousin, Pankaja Munde. Before her defeat from Parli, Pankaja Munde served for two terms as an MLA. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: NCP (SP) Releases First List of 45 Candidates, Fields Yugendra Pawar Against Uncle Ajit Pawar From Baramati; Full List Here.

Aditi Tatkare Looks to Serve Shrivardhan as MLA Once Again

NCP leader Aditi Tatkare, the Maharashtra government's Cabinet Minister of Women and Child Development has been renominated from the Shrivardhan assembly constituency. Aditi, daughter of senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare, won the 2019 assembly elections from Shrivardhan when she defeated Shiv Sena's Vinod Ramchandra Ghosalkar by a margin of over 35,000 votes. Will Aditi Tatkare win the Shrivardhan constituency again, or will the MVA alliance wrest power from her? We shall know on November 23.

Sitting MLA Dilip Walse Patil to Fight from Ambegaon

The NCP has nominated its minister and seven-time MLA Dilip Walse Patil from the Ambegaon assembly constituency for the Vidhan Sabha polls in Maharashtra. A sitting MLA, Dilip Walse Patil, won the Ambegaon Vidhan Sabha polls for the first time in 1990. Since then, he has represented the same constituency for seven consecutive terms. It is to be seen if Dilip Walse Patil can win the Ambegaon seat in Pune for the record ninth time.

Maharastra's 288 assembly seats will go to polls on November 20. The results of the Maharashtra assembly elections and the Jharkhand polls will be announced on November 23.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 25, 2024 01:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).