Cong declares 46 candidates from Vidarbha

After a prolonged wait Congress declared its first list of candidates on Wednesday of which 46 are from Vidarbha. Barring the denial of
ticket to minister of state for finance and energy Sunil Deshmukh in favour of President Pratibha Patil's son Rajendra Shekhawat from Amravati was a jolt for the loyal partymen, there were not many surprises as frontrunners and sitting MLAs were repeated.

In Nagpur city, Anees Ahmed wish to shift to Nagpur West was granted, a new face - Raju Deoghare - was chosen in his place from Nagpur Central. All the candidates from Nagpur city and district have been announced.

Former MP Naresh Pugalia's son Rahul has been given ticket from Ballarpur. In Nagpur city, ex-mayor Vikas Thakre is Congress candidate from the newly-created seat of South West, the party has repeated all the four sitting MLAs -” Satish Chaturvedi from East, Nitin Raut from North, Dinanath Padole from South and Ahmed who will now contest from West instead of Central. As expected district unit president Sunita Gawande has been given ticket from Kamptee, former Union minister Subodh Mohite from Ramtek and Sunil Kedar has been renominated from Saoner. Umrer, now a reserved seat, gets a new Congress nominee Dr Shirish Meshram.

Former school education minister Vasant Purke has been nominated from Ralegaon, former Rane loyalist Vijay Wadettiwar from Chimur, Vilasrao Deshmukh's close aide Sudhakar Gangane from Akot, Himachal Pradesh governor Prabha Rau's nephew Ranjit Kamble and former minister Vasudha Deshmukh from Achalpur.

Deputy speaker Pramod Shende has made way for his son Shekhar in Wardha and Sanjay Deshmukh (who contested as a rebels in the last elections and defeated official Congress candidate) has been given party ticket from Digras.

The candidates from Vidarbha include: Shivchand Tayade (Malkapur), Dhrupadrao Sawle (Buldhana), Rahul Bendre (Chikhli), Dilip Sananda (Khamgaon), Ramvijay Burungale (Jalgaon-Jamod), Rajendra Shekhawat (Amravati), Kewalram Kale (Melghat), Vasudha Deshmukh (Achalpur), Virendra Jagtap (Dhamangaon), Amar Kale (Arvi), Ranjit Kamble (Deoli), Shekhar Shende (Wardha), Sunil Kedar (Saoner), Shirish Meshram (Umred), Subodh Mohite (Ramtek), Sunita Gawande (Kamptee), Vikas Thakre (Nagpur South-West), Dinanath Padole (Nagpur South), Satish Chaturvedi (Nagpur East), Raju Deoghare (Nagpur Central), Anees Ahmed (Nagpur West), Nitin Raut (Nagpur North), Pramod Titarmare (Tumsar), Sevak Waghaye (Sakoli), Ramlal Raut (Arjuni), Gopaldas Agrawal (Gondia), Ramratan Raut (Amgaon), Sudhakar Gangane (Akot), Razia Natiquddin (Balapur), Ramakant Khetan (Akola West), Vijay Mate (Akola East), Alka Maksare (Washim), Subhash Zanak (Risod), Yashomati Thakur (Tiwsa), Namdeo Usendi (Gadchiroli), Anant Gedam (Armori), Bita Ramteke (Chandrapur), Subhash Dhote (Rajura), Rahul Pugalia (Ballarpur), Vijay Wadettiwar (Chimur), Sanjay Deotale (Warora), Wamanrao Kasawar (Wani), Sanjay Deshmukh (Digras), Vijay Khadse (Umarkhed), Vasant Purke (Ralegaon) and Shivajirao Moghe (Arni).