Post-retirement pangs: Naik to try his luck in Hingoli

According to available information, the state Congress parliamentary board which met in Mumbai yesterday, was directed to recommend the former chief minister’s name from Hingoli. The party legislator and son of Shankarrao Chavan, Ashok Chavan, Suryakanta Patil and sitting MLC, Rajni Satav are the other contenders for the seat. The provocation for the sudden change of constituency by Naik, however, could not ascertain immediately.

The sitting Congress Lok Sabha member from Ramtek, Datta Meghe, will now contest from neighbouring Wardha constituency. His name was unanimously recommended by the party legislators, Pramod Shende and Ramdas Tadas before the board yesterday. However, one lady activist from the district, Ms Satav is another contender for the seat.

The board interviewed the senior party leader, Bhau Mulak, the former Maharashtra minister, Madhukarrao Kimmatkar, and Anantrao Gharad for the Ramtek Lok Sabha seat as Meghe was not seeking renomination from there this time.

In Chandrapur, the stormy petrel of the district, Naresh Pugalia is the main contender for the seat. The former Lok Sabha member, Shantaram Potdukhe who suffered a humiliating defeat in 1996 elections would not contest this time. Instead, he recommended the name of Shyam Wankhede, the former Maharashtra minister. Besides, the district Congress chief, Deorao Bhandekar, Subhash Gaur and Subhash Dhote are the other contenders for the party ticket.

The board interviewed former party legislator, Jayantrao Katakwar and Sevakram Baghaye for Chimur parliamentary constituency which was presented by Vilas Muttemwar thrice. Muttemwar, is reluctant to contest from Chimur in the ensuing elections and applied for the party ticket from Nagpur. The board also received lone recommendation of Praful Patel from Bhandara.The party is likely to renominate Mukul Wasnik from Buldhana while it may leave Akola and Amravati seats to Republican Party of India (RPI) if an electoral adjustment materialises between both the parties in the coming mid-term polls.

However, the former Maharashtra Youth Congress president, Sunil Deshmukh sought a party ticket from Amravati while Santosh Korpe is seeking renomination from Akola.

Meanwhile, the state Congress parliamentary board is meeting again on January 1 and 2 next in Mumbai and finalise a panel of two names for each constituency which will be sent to the All India Congress Committee for finalising the tickets.