Determined after facing setbacks, the Congress and NCP have claimed that the apostates would be put in place by the voters on October 21. Ahead of Maharashtra's assembly elections, several leaders from Congress and NCP have left the party and many of them have joined BJP and Shiv Sena. Both Congress and NCP have now chosen to field new faces, especially youngsters, against those who left the party. NCP is also ready to field the people who left BJP to join them in the upcoming elections. 

NCP's nominations

The incumbent NCP MLA, Dattatray Bharne from Indapur constituency is ready to be fielded against Harshvardhan Patil, former Congress minister, who joined BJP. Harshvardhan Patil had already lost to Dattatray Bharne in 2014 elections, but now, he is ready to face Bharne again with BJP’s organisational network.

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Sharad Pawar has also fielded NCP candidate Sandeep Kshirsagar against his uncle and ex-NCP minister Jaidutt Kshirsagar in Beed. Jaidutt Kshirsagar had shifted to Shiv Sena and became a minister in that party. Raju Bendal, Guhagar Nagar Parishad chief, will possibly be nominated the former state unit chief of Guhagar Nagar Parishad, Bhaskar Jadhav. A member of the Kunbi community Raju Bendal had recently won the Nagar Parishad election defeating the panel filed by Jadhav. 

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Sharad Pawar hoping to retain Satara seat

The NCP has also dropped a hint that they might field ex-BJP leader Deepak Pawar against the descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale, Shivendra Raje Bhosale in the Satara constituency. Shivaji Raje Bhosale the 13th direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje has recently joined BJP. Sharad Pawar was seen hoping that NCP retains the Satara seat, in a rally on Sunday. He said that the defection of Satara’s NCP MP Udayanraje Bhosale to BJP should not impact poll prospects. Former minister and NCP legislator, Dilip Sopal from Barshi is well accepted by the Lingayat community and the NCP have decided to field Balraje Patil or Rajendra Raut against him.   

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MLAs Vikram Kale, Makarand Nimbalkar and Kailash Patil are set to take Rana Jagatjit Singh Patil in Osmanabad. Patil is the son of ex-NCP minister and Sharad Pawar’s close friend Dr. Padmasinh Patil. Former NCP legislator Vaibhav Pichad, who has joined BJP, in Akola will probably be facing NCP leaders Kiran Lahmate, Madhukar Talpade or former BJP leader Ashok Bhangre. Former Congress MLA, Abdul Sattar, who recently joined Shiv Sena, will possibly face Prabhakar Palodkar in Sillod constituency. 

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