With Tanaji Wanve, former Leader of Opposition in Nagpur Municipal Corporation (East Nagpur); Yadnyavalkya Jichkar, son of late Dr Shrikant Jichkar, Dr Anees Ahmed, Rajendra Mulak, Manoj Sangole, Purushottam Hazare deciding to contest from their respective constituencies, their entry will affect Congress’ vote bank. Interestinly, all these leaders are from Congress party. Yadnyavalkya Jichkar accompanied by mother Rajshri Jichkar filed his nomination for Katol constituency from where Maha Vikas Aaghadi (MVA) has fielded Anil Deshmukh, senior leader of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) (Sharad Pawar). Jichkar is All India Congress Committee office-bearer. Expressing displeasure over the decision of MVA leaders to allot candidature to NCP (SP), Wanve, ex-Standing Chairman of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has filed his nomination papers from Nagpur East.

 

Purushottam Hazare who had given tough fight to Krishna Khopde, MLA of Nagpur East too has registered his claim officially. Dr Anees Ahmed will contest as Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) candidate from Nagpur Central constituency. In Nagpur Central, people had demanded that Congress should either field person of Muslim community or Halba. But the party has pitted Bunty Shelke against Pravin Datke of BJP. This has irked people. Now with the senior leader like Dr Anees Ahmed has decided to contest from Nagpur Central on VBA ticket. Disappointed Muslilm community people are likely to support Dr Ahmed. In North Nagpur, people witnessed a bizarre twist as Manoj Sangole, a former Congress corporator has filed AB form from Nagpur North constituency on BSP ticket. Here BSP had declared the candidature of Buddham Raut. This move shocked even BSP workers. Sangole’s candidature is likely to affect the prospects of MLA Dr Nitin Raut. Rajendra Mulak, former Minister and a close relative of ex-Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan will be filing nomination papers from Ramtek. Ramtek and Nagpur South constituencies were the ones that delayed the seat declaration by MVA. Despite both being strongholds of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) had insisted to field their candidates. Somehow UBT left Nagpur South for Congress but claimed Ramtek aggressively. Rajendra Mulak and Sunil Kedar met Uddhav Thackeray twice but Sena remained firm on its claim and pitted Vishal Barbate against Ashish Jaiswal of Shiv Sena (Shinde group).