Pune: The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) has garnered significant interest from potential candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra state assembly elections, anticipated to be held in October or November.

A total of 41 aspirants from eight assembly constituencies in Pune have submitted their applications, expressing their desire to contest under the NCP (SP) banner.

The election preparations began in earnest on August 28, when the party leadership—under the guidance of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and state president Jayant Patil—announced that they were inviting applications from interested candidates.

Initially, the deadline for submission was September 4. However, due to an overwhelming response, the party extended the deadline to September 10.

City NCP (SP) president Prashant Jagtap revealed that 41 aspirants from various constituencies in Pune had officially submitted their applications.

In the next phase, the party will conduct interviews with all these hopeful candidates to assess their qualifications and suitability. Once the interviews are complete, the shortlisted names will be forwarded to Jayant Patil for the final decision on candidacies.

This proactive approach to screening and selecting candidates reflects the party's strategy to ensure a strong lineup in the upcoming elections. With the elections expected to be highly competitive, NCP (SP) aims to field candidates who can make a significant impact in their respective constituencies.

The interviews and candidate selection process are expected to conclude shortly, paving the way for a final announcement of the party's candidates.

The NCP, under Sharad Pawar’s leadership, has been gearing up to strengthen its presence and retain key constituencies in Maharashtra. The response from 41 aspiring candidates for just eight constituencies in Pune reflects the party's robust position and the strong desire among party members to contest in the upcoming elections.