Pune: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Ajit Pawar, has released its first list of 38 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections.

However, the candidate for the Wadgaon Sheri constituency in Pune, a seat previously expected to be declared in the first list, remains unannounced.

This has led to speculation about whether the seat will go to NCP or BJP. Similar uncertainty exists in nine other constituencies.

The list features several incumbent MLAs. Notably absent from the list is Sunil Tingre, the sitting MLA from Wadgaon Sheri. This omission has raised questions about NCP’s strategy for the constituency.

Similarly, Nawab Malik, the sitting MLA from Anushakti Nagar, has not been named in the list, and there are rumors that his daughter, Sana Malik, might be considered as a candidate.

However, her name was not included in this first announcement. Additionally, Balasaheb Ajabe, the MLA from Ashti, has also been left out, surprising many observers.

The NCP has yet to announce candidates for nine other constituencies, including Phaltan, Shirur, Ashti Patoda, Tasgaon, Karad, Islampur, Wadgaon Sheri, Anushakti Nagar, and Shirala, all of which are held by Ajit Pawar’s faction of NCP.

Out of the 38 candidates announced by NCP, 17 are from the Maratha community, indicating a strong presence.

The list also includes five candidates from the Other Backward Classes (OBC), two Muslim candidates, seven tribal candidates, five from the backward classes, and two from the Scheduled Castes.

Meanwhile BJP is actively strategizing for the Wadgaon Sheri constituency. A meeting of BJP officials, led by Jagdish Mulik, discussed candidacy and election plans.

Mulik is a strong contender for the BJP ticket in Wadgaon Sheri, and it will be interesting to see if he secures the nomination, especially given that Sunil Tingre’s name is missing from NCP’s first list.