Dandavate says no to Rajapur, UF to fight 23 seats

MUMBAI, Jan 14: Janata Dal's veteran socialist leader and deputy chairman of Union Planning Commission Madhu Dandavate has declined to conte...

MUMBAI, Jan 14: Janata Dal’s veteran socialist leader and deputy chairman of Union Planning Commission Madhu Dandavate has declined to contest the ensuing Lok Sabha poll from Rajapur constituency in Konkan which he represented for several years.

The party today decided to field Pushpasen Sawant from the prestigious constituency, which was first represented by socialist Nath Pai and then by Dandavate, who retained it even during the 1984 pro-Congress sympathy wave.Dandavate, railway minister in the Moraraji Desai cabinet and finance minister in V P Singh cabinet, however, lost the seat to Congress in 1991, and came third against Shiv Sena in 1996.

The Janata Dal, which drew blank in last elections, also issued a list of five candidates and two sponsored candidates after the state parliamentary board meeting here. Meanwhile, United Front, whose constituents met before the JDPB meeting, finalised its list of 23 constituencies in Maharashtra to be contested by various constituents.

Story continues below this ad

According to front coordinator Kapil Patil, Janata Dal will contest seven, peasants and workers party five, CPI four, CPI-M two, Samajwadi Party three, Republican Party of India (Khobragade) one and Bharatiya Panther one.

JD state leader Mrinal Gore said the front would issue a second but shorter list of constituencies and soon take a decision on whether to support Congress or not against BJP-Sena where the front candidate was not contesting.

Following is the list of seats to be contested by each constituent party of the front :

JD- Solapur, Chandrapur, Wardha, Rajapur, Mumbai (south), Kolhapur and Yavatmal.

PWP- Kulaba, Beed, Usmanabad, Parbhani, Ramtek.

CPI- Bhandara, Ahmednagar, Kopargaon, Nashik.

CPI-M- Dahanu, Ichalkaranji.

Samajwadi Party- Mumbai (north-west), Thane, Mumbai (north-central).

RPI (Khobragade)- Chimur.

Story continues below this ad

Bharatiya Dalit Panther- Buldhana. Patil claimed that the Shetkari Sanghatana had agreed to remain with the front and would hold discussions with front leaders for seat-sharing.

The JD subsequently announced the list of its candidates which includes former state JD president Dr Pandurang Dhole who will contest the Wardha seat.