NCP releases list of 131 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly polls

Mumbai: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday released a list of 131 candidates for the October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls, though it did not announce any nominee to contest against Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan in Karad South.

The party has fielded Pushpasen Sawant from Kudal in Sindhudurg district against Congress leader Narayan Rane.

Sawant is a former Congressman, who had quit the party after former Shiv Sena leader Rane joined it.

Meanwhile, the total number of nominations filed in Maharashtra till Friday is 3,044, officials said. September 27 is the last date of filing of papers.

On Thursday, the NCP called off its 15-year-old alliance with the Congress in the state alleging that the Congress always got the post of Chief Minister in Maharashtra but this time NCP has performed better than the Congress in Lok Sabha elections and their presence is stronger in state.

The two parties have shared power for 15 years in Maharashtra (1999-2014) and for 10 years in New Delhi (2004-14).