NCP conducts aspirants’ interview

The NCP has gone ahead with its claim to contest the Khadakwasla Assembly seat byelection by conducting interviews of aspirants. The Congress said it planned to field Harshada Wanjale — wife of the late MNS MLA Ramesh Wanjale,whose death necessitated the October 13 byelection.

On Saturday,the state parliamentary board of the NCP interviewed eight aspirants. They included Vikas Dangat Patil who had unsuccessfully contested the 2009 Assembly election from the seat,Haveli Panchayat Samiti former president Prabhavati Eknath Bhumkar,NCP Pune city unit vice-president Sunil Khedekar,Pune corporator and former deputy mayor Dilip Prabhakhar Barate,Khadakwasla NCP unit president Sopan alias Kaka Chavan,corporator Dattatraya Dhankavde,Mohan Inamdar and Shivaji Adhav. NCP state president Madhukar Pichad said the aspirants’ names had been forwarded to senior party leaders in Delhi.

MPCC president Manikrao Thakre said his party was trying to convince Harshada to contest on party ticket. The MNS,meanwhile,has declared that Harshada would be its candidate.