BJP announces second list of 22 nominees for Nov 20 Maharashtra polls

Mumbai, Oct 26 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday released its second list of 22 candidates for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections, six days after the party announced the names of 99 nominees in its first list. 

The BJP has re-nominated Devayanai Pharande from Nashik Central constituency, Prakash Bharsakle from Akot, Kumar Ailani from Ulhasnagar, Ravindra Patil from Pen, Bhimrao Tapkir from Khadakwasla, Sunil Kamble from Pune Cantonment and Samadhan Awatade from Pandharpur.

The party, however, denied tickets to sitting legislator Deorao Holi from the Maoist-infested Gadchiroli (ST) seat. The BJP has fielded Milind Narode in place of Holi.

The party has also dropped sitting legislator Lakhan Malik and nominated Shyam Khode from Washim SC.

With the announcement of 22 fresh names, the BJP has so far named a total of 121 candidates for the upcoming elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly. The party expects to contest about 150 seats.

The second list also includes names of Ram Bhadane (Dhule Rural), former legislator Chainsukh Sancheti (Malkapur), Vijay Agarwal (Akola West), Kevalram Kale (Melghat (ST), Deorao Bhongle (Rajura), Krishnalal Sahare (Brahmapuri), Kiran Deotale (Warora), Harishchandra Bhoye (Vikramgad ST), Hemant Rasane (Kasba Peth), Ramesh Karad (Latur Rural), Devendra Kothe (Solapur City Central), Satyajit Deshmukh, who is the son of former Congress leader and former chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council Shivajirao Deshmukh (Shirala) and state council member Gopichand Padalkar (Jat Assembly seat).

By and large, the party has decided to re-nominate the sitting legislators while giving new faces in other constituencies, considering the 'social engineering' factor.

However, the BJP is yet to take a decision on three seats from Mumbai, including Borivali, Ghatkopar and Versova, with the wait for sitting legislators Sunil Rane, Parag Shah and Bharati Lavhekar getting longer.

In addition, the party is yet to decide on sitting legislators Harish Pimpale (Murtijapur), Dadarao Keche (Arvi), Vikas Kumbhare (Nagpur Central), Sandip Dhurve (Arni), Laxman Pawar (Gevarai), Ram Satpute (Malshiras) and Namdeo Sasane. Ram Satpute lost from Solapur constituency to Congress nominee Praniti Shinde in the Lok Sabha elections.

The party has also not announced any nominee for Karanja constituency where its sitting legislator Rajendra Patni died this year.

--IANS

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