NCP Releases First List of Candidates, Sharad Pawar’s Daughter Supriya Sule to Contest From Baramati

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party has released its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha election, a day after alliance partner Congress fielded five candidates from the state.

The NCP list of 12 names includes one seat for the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, which has fielded a candidate from Hatkanangale. The NCP said discussions are still underway and the party is likely to release its second list on Friday.

The NCP has fielded party supremo Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule from Baramati. She has represented the seat since 2009. However, prior to that the seat has been Pawar’s bastion.

He had held it from the 1991 by-election till 2009, first for Congress and then for the NCP. In 1991, for a brief period, the seat was held by Sharad Pawar’s nephew Ajit Pawar.

Other candidates on the list include Sanjay Dina Patil from Mumbai North East, Anand Paranjpe from Thane, Sunil Tatkare from Raigad and Mohammad Faisal from Lakshwadeep.

Pawar had two days ago said that he would not contest the election. There was strong speculation that the former union minister would contest from the Madha seat in southwest Maharashtra, but he said on Monday that he has decided against the idea.

“I thought that already two members of my family are contesting polls this time, and hence, I felt this is right time to take decision to not contest since I already have contested 14 times in the past,” he told reporters.