Ajit Pawar discusses contentious Madha and Nashik seats with NCP workers

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who heads the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Friday, 12 April, met the leaders of his party and discussed with them the issues surrounding the contentious Madha and Nashik Lok Sabha seats.

Talking to reporters, state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said the party office-bearers from Phaltan and Man-Khatav in Satara district led by senior leader Ramraje Naik-Nimbalkar met Ajit Pawar, party's working president Praful Patel and other leaders to discuss the Madha seat.

"The candidate of the ruling Mahayuti alliance (comprising Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP) for the Madha seat has already been declared. BJP's Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar will contest it. But the issues surrounding this seat will be resolved in a day or two," he said when asked about the opposition to Nimbalkar's nomination from the ruling allies.

Former Maharashtra deputy chief minister and BJP leader Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil and Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, who is with the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, have openly opposed Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar's candidature from Madha.

Tatkare said the issue of Nashik parliamentary constituency also came up for discussion during the meeting.

Both these constituencies and the remaining seats where candidates have not been declared so far, will be done in a day or two after discussion with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, he added.

The Nashik seat is currently held by Hemant Godse of the ruling Shiv Sena. But ally NCP is now keen on contesting it and wants to field senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal, who has turned down a proposal to contest on the BJP symbol.

Tatkare said the notification for the third phase of polling in 11 seats in the state was issued on Friday and the party discussed its campaign strategy for these constituencies.

Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra will be conducted in five phases between 19 April and 20 May. The counting of votes will be done on 4 June.