NCP (SP) fields candidate in Bhiwandi LS seat claimed by Cong; also names Beed nominee

The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) on Thursday named Suresh Mhatre as its candidate from the Bhiwandi Lok Sabha constituency, which was claimed by ally Congress in seat-sharing talks for Maharashtra.

The Sharad Pawar-led party, which released its second list of two nominees for the Lok Sabha polls, fielded Bajrang Sonawane from Beed in central Maharashtra.

Beed will vote in the fourth phase on May 13, while Bhiwandi in adjoining Thane district will go to polls in the fifth round on May 20.

With this, the NCP (SP), a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), has named seven candidates so far. The party had named five candidates in the first list released last week.

Besides the NCP (SP) and the Congress, the MVA also consists of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80), will vote in five phases starting from April 19 and counting will take place on June 4.

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