Maval LS seat: NCP, Cong lock horn

PUNE: Even as the state leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress are busy in discussions to work out a seat sharing formula, local leaders have locked horns over the newly created Maval Lok Sabha constituency.
Maval constituency comprises six assembly segments Panvel, Karjat and Uran from Raigad district and Maval, Chinchwad and Pimpri (SC) from Pune district.
NCP leaders have indicated that as the party has dominance in Pimpri and Chinchwad it would be easy for its candidate in the Maval constituency. MLA Vilas Lande and Pimpri-Chinchwad mayor Aprana Doke supported the demand and said that the NCP Pimpri- Chinchwad unit chief Azam Pansare should be nominated as party candidate from Maval.
"I am willing to contest from Maval. The NCP has a big support in this constituency and the party should definitely stake claim to this seat," Pansare told TOI.
Along with 56 corporators from Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal corporation, Pansare has submitted a letter to NCP president Sharad Pawar demanding that an NCP candidate should contest from Maval.
Pansare added, "We are not insisting on the demand, but party workers from the grassroots level are confident of victory if we get this seat. Their sentiments will be communicated to the high command and a final decision will be taken by Pawar on February 25."
If it fails to get the Maval seat, the NCP plans to demand the seat for its alliance partner Republican Party of India (Athavale group).
Maval has about 16 lakh voters. The NCP leader in the constituency is state energy minister Sunil Tatkare, while the Congress is led by Ramsheth Thakur and the Bharatiya Janata party by MLA Digambar Bhegade.
Devdidas Bhansali, district unit president of the Congress, said that the Congress has a strong claim to Pune and Maval seats. "Union minister A R Antulay has a strong base in Raigad politics."
Meanwhile, Bhegade told TOI that, "We are looking for a candidate acceptable to both BJP and Shiv Sena for the Maval constituency."