Lok Sabha elections 2024: Names of Mahayuti alliance nominees will be declared on Mar 28, says Ajit Pawar

Ajit Pawar. File Pic

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar on Tuesday said that the remaining candidates of the Mahayuti alliance, also comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, will be declared on March 28, reported the PTI.

Ajit Pawar also declared the candidature of sitting MP Sunil Tatkare from the Raigad constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024.

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The BJP has so far declared candidates for 23 seats in Maharashtra. However, allies Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and Ajit Pawar-led NCP have not yet officially declared their nominees, as per the PTI.

Speaking to reporters after chairing a meeting of NCP MLAs in Maharashtra's Pune, Ajit Pawar also hinted that his wife Sunetra Pawar would be fielded from the Baramati constituency.

"Our 99 per cent work on sharing of seats is completed. Names of the remaining candidates of Mahayuti will be declared in a joint press conference to be addressed by the chief minister, Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis, and myself," he said, as per the PTI.

Sunil Tatkare is the state president of NCP led by Ajit Pawar. He won the 2019 elections from Raigad as a nominee of NCP (undivided).

Ajit Pawar also said that Shiv Sena leader Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil, who was a part of the NCP (undivided) 20 years ago, will be inducted into the NCP led by him on Tuesday, the news agency reported.

Speculation is rife that Adhalrao Patill will be fielded from the Shirur Lok Sabha constituency in Pune district against sitting MP Amol Kolhe, a loyalist of Sharad Pawar.

"MPs and MLAs have been assigned the responsibility of their respective constituencies to ensure that everybody works unitedly for Mahayuti," Ajit Pawar said.
He also informed that NCP leader and state minister Dhananjay Munde will be the incharge of the NCP campaign in Maharashtra.

When asked who will contest from the Baramati constituency, he said the suspense will be lifted on March 28.

"We will announce the names of Mahayuti candidates on March 28, but I can assure you that whatever name is in your mind, the same person will be given a ticket," the NCP leader quipped, the PTI reported on Tuesday.

Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar is the likely candidate of NCP from Baramati who will square off against sitting MP and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) state unit president Supriya Sule.

Ajit Pawar evaded a direct reply to a query on the number of seats the NCP will contest from Maharashtra, which will vote in five phases starting April 19, according to the PTI.

"Out of the total 48 seats in the state, the BJP has MPs in 23 constituencies, Shiv Sena (undivided) had 18 sitting MPs but some of them are with Shiv Sena (UBT). We (NCP) have also sought a good number of seats and the picture will be clear on March 28," he added, the news agency reported.

Notably, overlapping claims on certain seats by constituent parties from the Mahayuti alliance as well as the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). have delayed the formal announcement of respective seat-sharing formulas.

(with PTI inputs)