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Maha polls: High-profile rebels may affect outcome

October 11, 2009 17:18 IST
The presence of some high-profile rebels from all political parties in the Maharashtra assembly poll fray has made the electoral battle a curious tussle to see if the outcome would be a repeat of 1995 where over 40 independents had emerged victorious.

But, the leadership of the Nationalist Congress Party, the worst affected by rebellion, has rejected any such possibility citing reason that voters will go for political stability.

NCP has already suspended for six years from the party about 47 rebels who are in fray against the party's and ally Congress's official nominees. Minister of state for Finance in the Ashok Chavan government Dr Sunil Deshmukh has revolted against the Congress for denying him a ticket in favour of Rajendra Shekhawat, son of President Pratibha Patil.

NCP sitting MLA from Mangrulpir Subhash Thakre is contesting as an independent from Karanja for being denied a ticket by his party. NCP nominee Prakash Dahake is pitted against Rajendra Patni of Shiv Sena from the constituency.

Gotiram Pawar, sitting NCP MLA from Murbad, is in fray as independent as his party denied him a ticket again and instead fielding Kisan Kathore, sitting MLA from neighbouring Ambarnath from Murbad.

Prakash Bharsakle, Congress MLA from Daryapur is in fray as an independent from Akot. Former NCP MLA Vasant Suryavanshi has rebelled against the party and is in poll fray as independent against Congress candidate from Sakri.

Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party has also been affected by rebellion. Former BJP MP Dr B S Patil is in fray from Amalner where BJP is pitted against the Congress in a straight fight.

Another high profile rebellion in the BJP has been sitting MLA from Guhagar Dr Vinay Natu. He is in fray against Shiv Sena nominee and Leader of opposition in the Legislative assembly Ramdas Kadam.

NCP's candidate is Bhaskar Jadhav. In fact Jadhav was the first rebel of Shiv Sena in 2004 polls after he was denied a ticket. Jadhav is now an NCP MLC.

Veteran Congress leader from North Maharashtra Surupsing Naik is facing NCP rebel Dilip Naik as well as Sharad Gavit, brother of NCP leader and tribal affairs minister Vijay Kumar Gavit in Navapur assembly constituency.

Sharad Gavit is contesting on Samajwadi party ticket and had unsuccessfully fought the recent Lok Sabha polls against Manikrao Gavit of Congress in Nandurbar.

Former NCP leaders Dilip Sopal and Digvijay Khanvilkar who were defeated in the 2004 assembly elections are fighting the polls as rebels from Barshi and Kolhapur South, after being denied tickets.

Congress leader Anantrao Vithalrao Deshmukh is in fray from Risod, NCP leader Prithviraj Deshmukh is an independent from Pulus-Kadegaon while another NCP leader Dr Hemant Deshmukh is rebel from Sindkhedraja.

Narsing Gurunath Patil, sitting MLA from Chandgad who had won the last election by 11 votes is an independent this time against his own party Jan Surajya Shakti party and NCP.

Sitting Congress MLA Rajiv Rajale is in fray as independent from Shevgaon. NCP leader Devidas Pingle is contesting from Nashik-East as an independent and Pradeep Jaiswal has rebelled against Sena and is in fray as independent from Aurangabad Central.

Former MLA Pravin Bhosale is contesting against his own NCP party candidate Deepak Kesarkar in Sawantwadi. NCP leader Laxman Mane and two other party office-bearers are in fray in Phaltan.

Suspended Congress corporator in Pune Deepak Mankar is an independent against NCP's Anna Joshi in Kothrud. Navi Mumbai Congress President Namdeo Bhagat is in fray as an independent against NCP heavyweight Ganesh Naik in Belapur.

NCP Zilla Parishad member Vijaysing Paradke has rebelled in Akkalkuwa. Pappu Kalani who had contested the last election on RPI (A) ticket last time is now in fray as independent from Ulhasnagar.

His wife Jyoti Kalani was given the NCP ticket from this assembly constituency but she did not file her nominations. Former Nashik Mayor Dashrath Patil is the Congress rebel in Nashik (West) while present mayor Vinayak Pande is the Shiv Sena rebel from the same constituency.

Former state minister and NCP sitting MLA Shalinitai Patil is in fray as independent from Koregaon. Political observers say that rebels could impact the prospects of political parties especially Congress-NCP in nearly 100 constituencies.

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