Priya had decided not to contest, but later changed her mind after much persuation by RaGa
Poonam Mahajan and Gopal Shetty are the first two names announced for Mumbai Lok Sabha (LS) constituencies by the BJP in its first list of 182 candidates for the upcoming LS elections. The BJP declared its first list of candidates in New Delhi on Thursday, which includes 16 candidates from Maharashtra.
Poonam Mahajan, daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, is the national president for the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha and is the sitting MP from Mumbai North-Central constituency, while Gopal Shetty is an MP from Mumbai North LS constituency. Mahajan is pitted against Priya Dutt, daughter of former Union Minister for Sports (Independent Charge), late Sunil Dutt. Priya had decided not to contest the elections but changed her mind after being persuaded by Rahul Gandhi. Congress is yet to announce its candidates for Mumbai North constituency.
As was predicted, Dr Sujay Vikhe-Patil, son of Leader of Opposition in state assembly Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil got BJP candidature. In Ahmednagar, the party shunted sitting MP Dilip Gandhi for Sujay. Raksha Khadse, daughter-in-law of veteran BJP leader and former minister Eknath Khadse has also been given a ticket from the Raver seat, which she won in 2014. Her candidature assumes significance since Eknath has been sidelined by the party after being shunned from the state Cabinet by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), Hansraj Ahir (Chandrapur), Dr Subhash Bhamare (Dhule) and BJP state unit president Raosaheb Danve (Jalna) are also in this list. Dr Pritam Munde, former union minister late Gopinath Munde's daughter also retained her candidature from her hometown, Beed.
Additionally, sitting MP from Latur Sunil Gaikwad has been replaced by Latur Zilla Parishad member, Sudhakar Shrungare. Other sitting MPs such as Sanjaykaka Patil from Sangli, Heena Gavit from Nandurbar, Sanjay Dhotre from Akola, Kapil Patil from Bhivandi have been given tickets too.
In Wardha, the party gave a ticket to sitting MP Ramdas Tadas and in Gadchiroli Chimur, sitting MP Ashok Nete would be seeking a mandate again. All these 16 LS seats are going to polls on different phases starting from April 11th.
WHERE THEY STAND
- Sanjaykaka Patil from Sangli, Heena Gavit from Nandurbar, Sanjay Dhotre from Akola, Kapil Patil from Bhivandi have been given tickets.
- In Wardha, the party gave ticket to sitting MP Ramdas Tadas and in Gadchiroli Chimur, sitting MP Ashok Nete would be seeking a mandate. All these 16 seats are going to polls on different phases
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 "Poonam Mahajan, daughter of late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, & Priya Dutt, daughter of ex-minister late Sunil Dutt")
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