The Nationalist Congress Party on Friday released a second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Party chief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Parth Pawar and senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal’s nephew Sameer Bhujbal are among those named in the list.

Parth Pawar, former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s son, will contest from Maval constituency, while Sameer Bhujbal will contest from Nashik.

The second list of candidates also comprised Dhanraj Haribhau Mahale for the Dindori seat, Bajrang Sonawane in Beed and Dr Amol Kolhe, who played the character of Chhatrapati Sambhaji on a television show, in Shirur, PTI reported. Kolhe had quit the Shiv Sena to join the NCP.

On Monday, the NCP chief had ruled out contesting the General Elections and said “new generation members should be given chance”. The party released its first list for Maharashtra and Lakshadweep on Thursday, with 12 candidates, including the NCP chief’s daughter Supriya Sule.

The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Sameer Bhujbal in 2016 for his alleged role in a money laundering case. He was later released on bail.

The Lok Sabha elections will be held in seven phases from April 11 to May 19, and the results will be declared on May 23. In Maharashtra, the polls will be held on April 11, April 18, April 23 and April 29.

Prakash Ambedkar releases list of 37 candidates

Activist Prakash Ambedkar on Friday released a list of 37 candidates who will contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra under the banner of Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi. The outfit is a coalition of Dalit and Muslim leaders jointly formed by Ambedkar and All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi.

Ambedkar has not yet announced candidates for the remaining 11 seats in the state, which include Akola, Solapur, Nagpur and Aurangabad. “In the next four days, suspense over these seats will be over,” he said.

Owaisi’s party has already announced it will not contest the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

Among the prominent candidates, Anil Jadhav will contest from Pune, Navnath Padalkar from Baramati, Aruna Mali from Kolhapur and Anil Kumar from South Mumbai. Sanjay Bhosale will be the candidate from Mumbai South Central.