Maharashtra: Ex-CMs' children included in Congress list

The kins of four former Maharashtra chief ministers of the Congress will be contesting the Assembly elections - as the grand old party prepares for a do-or-die battle.

Former Maharashtra chief minister and ex-Congress president Ashok Chavan will be contesting the Assembly polls from Bhokar in Nanded. Chavan is son of ex-CM and former union home minister, the late Shankarrao Chavan. Currently, the Bhokar seat is represented by Ashok Chavan's wife Ameeta Chavan. Ashok Chavan has lost the Lok Sabha elections from Nanded.

Former CM Vilasrao Deshmukh's son Amit Deshmukh will contest from Latur City. Former CM Shivajirao Patil-Nilangekar's son Ashok Nilangekar will contest from Nilanga.

Former CM and ex-union home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's daughter Pranati Shinde will contest from Solapur City Central. Shinde has lost the Lok Sabha polls from Solapur-SC seat.
State Congress president Balasahab Thorat will contest the polls from Sangamer while the leader of opposition in outgoing Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar is pitted from Brahmapuri in Chandrapur.

Their names figure in the list of 51 candidates selected by Central Election Committee of AICC headed by Mukul Wasnik on Sunday evening.

State Congress working president Muzaffar Hussain will contest from Mira Bhayander in Thane, while deputy leader of Congress in Assembly Mohammed Aarif Nassem Khan has been fielded from Chandivli. Veteran Congressman Surupsinh Naik's son Shirish Naik will contest the Nawapur-ST seat.

In Warora in Chandrapur, the Congress has fielded Pratibha Dhanorkar, the wife of Suresh Dhanorkar, the lone Congress MP from Maharashtra. Mumbai Congress president Eknath Gaikwad and former minister Varsha Gaikwad will contest the Dharavi-SC seat.

Late Congress stalwart Dr Patangrao Kadam's son Dr Vishwajeet Kadam will contest the Palus-Kadegaon seat.