PUNE, Oct 19: Supporters of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sharad Pawar are strongly opposed to renomination of State Legislative Council member Ramkrishna More.While More followers, led by Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Hanumant Bhosale, today called on Pawar to formally request him to renominate More, a group influential leaders of the Pawar camp came out openly against More affecting his prospects.Manoeuvring for Congress nomination for the election from Pune Local Self Government has began in earnest. The party enjoys numerical majority in the district. Of the 600 voters, corporators in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad and members of municipal councils and panchayat samitis, a majority is known supporter of Pawar. The race for the Congress ticket is keen as party ticket ensures election to the council.Supporters of More, once a Pawar adversary, strongly argue that he be renominated since he could not `enjoy' the full term of six years. Trusted Pawar aides oppose More in view of the changing political equations at the state level. Sources said Pawar supporters including Dilip Walse-Patil, Narayan Pawar and Madan Bafna are dead against More. They are already mobilising like-minded leaders.Some Congress leaders say that More had been given enough opportunities in the recent past. More had been a member of the Lok Sabha twice and was given assembly ticket from Haveli. They are, however, divided over who should be given the ticket. Some favour corporator Anil Bhosale, who is close to Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Prataprao Bhosale. Others support former city mayor Ankush Kakade. Kakade hopes to emerge as a compromise candidate. Some are propping up Pune City District Congress Committee president Mohan Joshi.The saffron alliance of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Shiv Sena has decided to field its candidate with support of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, founded by Rajya Sabha member Suresh Kalmadi. BJP sources said the party would back Sena if it was keen on contesting. They, however, do not rule out the possibility of last-minute changes in the strategy as Kalmadi's policy would depend on the choice of the Congress candidate.
