The NCP Friday named Solapur Zilla Parishad president Sanjay Shinde, who returned to the party, as its candidate from Madha Lok Sabha seat, and former state minister Ranajagjitsinh Patil as its nominee from Osmanabad constituency.
NCP chief Sharad Pawar made this announcement at an event in Baramati, where Shinde returned to the party fold five years after quitting it.
Shinde, a known critic of NCP's sitting Madha MP Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil, got elected to the Zilla Parishad as an independent and is backed by the Shiv Sena and BJP.
The NCP named Shinde from the seat after Mohite-Patil allegedly refused to contest the polls, to be held next month, despite the party offering him a ticket for the election.
Earlier this week, Mohite-Patil's son, Ranjitsinh, joined the BJP and the Parliamentarian said he had given his "consent" for the latter to join the ruling party. This had impelled the NCP to look for another candidate for Madha constituency.
"The NCP has nominated Sanjay Shinde from Madha Lok Sabha constituency. He had been with the NCP ideologically and will remain so. I am sure that people of Solapur will stand behind him," Pawar said the event.
Pawar also announced the candidature of former Maharashtra minister Ranajagjitsinh Patil for Osmanabad seat.
"He has used power in the interest of the people. Therefore, people should send these candidates working for them in the Lok Sabha," Pawar said.
The NCP has so far announced candidates for 19 constituencies, including the Lakshadweep seat. It has shared the Hatkanangale seat with ally Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana being represented by Raju Shetti.
Hit by the Narendra Modi wave in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, the NCP had reported its lowest score in the election winning four seats. It had won the Bhandara-Gondiya constituency in a by-poll held in June last year.
The NCP will be contesting the election in Maharashtra, to be held in the state in four phases next month, in alliance with the Congress and other like-minded parties.
Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats.
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