Vilas Lande,Pacharne among 26 suspended from NCP

Two sitting MLAs Vilas Lande and Baburao Pacharne from Pune district are among the suspended NCP rebel candidates in the second list issued by the party on Wednesday.

Two sitting MLAs Vilas Lande and Baburao Pacharne from Pune district are among the suspended NCP rebel candidates in the second list issued by the party on Wednesday. The NCP suspended 26 rebel candidates on Wednesday,taking the total number of candidates suspended in two days to 50.

Lande,who had filed his nomination from Bhosari constituency,was contesting against NCPs official candidate Mangala Kadam. Though Ajit Pawar had repeatedly asked him to withdraw from the fray,Lande had refused to do so and was campaigning in full swing.

Kadam who heard of the news said it was expected as Lande had refused to withdraw. We welcome the partys decision, she said. Lande was unavailable for comment.

Pacharne,who had recently crossed over from BJP to NCP,has been suspended,again for standing against NCPs official candidate Ashok Pawar in Shirur.

Ajit Pawar said the action was necessary. Rebel candidates who considered themselves to be above the party should be suspended, he said. Pacharne too could not be contacted for comment.

Another one to be shown the door by NCP was Ramesh Thorat from Daund who was suspended for standing against its official candidate Rahul Kul.

NCP district spokesperson Ankush Kakde said such a drastic disciplinary action was needed as the party wanted to send the right signal to the official candidates as well as to fortify its alliance with the Congress.

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We had given them a chance to back out,but they did not agree. It is sad that we are losing 50 candidates,but we wanted to send right signal to our official candidates, he said.

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