Sameer Bhujbal, the Mumbai president of Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), resigned from the party position on Thursday.
He announced that he will contest the November 20 assembly polls from Nashik’s Nandgaon seat, which has been allotted to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The move comes just weeks ahead of the scheduled assembly elections in Maharashtra on November 20.
Sameer Bhujbal is the nephew of OBC leader Chhagan Bhujbal from the Ajit Pawar's NCP faction and was preparing to contest the upcoming polls from the Nandgaon seat in Nashik.
Talking to reporters, Bhujbal said he aspired to contest from Nandgaon, where the Shiv Sena has fielded its sitting MLA Suhas Kande. He is now expected to contest as an Independent against Kande. He is expected to file nomination papers from Nandgaon on October 28.
Bhujbal said since he did not want to hurt the alliance dharma, it was prudent he quit the party to contest the polls. The ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising of Shiv Sena, the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP is in a tight contest against the Maha Vikas Aghadi of the Congress, Uddhav's Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar's NCP.
Bhubal, a former Lok Sabha MP from Nashik, was appointed as the president of Mumbai division of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction in September last year.
Meanwhile, Sameer’s uncle Chhagan Bhujbal is contesting from the Yevala seat, a family stronghold. Earlier this month, Pankaj Bhujbal, Chhagan’s son and Sameer’s cousin, took oath as a governor-nominated Member of the Legislative Council (MLC).
Meanwhile, Ajit Pawar's NCP on Wednesday released its first list of 38 candidates for the Maharashtra assembly polls. Pawar will contest the election from Baramati seat in Pune district.
The NCP renominated 26 sitting MLAs, including ministers who sided with Ajit Pawar when he joined the ruling camp and fielded sitting legislators Sulbha Khodke (Amravati) and Hiraman Khoskar (Igatpuri) who switched over from the Congress recently.