A month after announcing that she would not contest Lok Sabha polls, Priya Dutt was on Wednesday named the Congress candidate from Mumbai North Central seat, while Milind Deora will contest from Mumbai South.
In the list of candidates declared by the AICC on Wednesday, names for five seats from Maharashtra were announced.
Among others named are former Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde from Solapur (SC), former BBJP MP-turned Congress leader Nana Patole from Nagpur, and Dr Namdev Usendi from Gadchiroli-Chimur (ST) constituency.
A month back, Ms. Dutt had written to Congress president Rahul Gandhi on her unwillingness to contest elections. With the party unable to find a suitable replacement, Ms. Dutt’s public presence had increased in the last couple of weeks. Local party leaders too had asked her to reconsider the decision. She was part of the leaders welcoming Mr. Gandhi at his public rally in Mumbai on March 2.
Mr. Deora had openly revolted against the city Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam accusing him of not taking all communities together and he too had threatened to pull out of the race. His was the only name recommended to the Congress’ central body from Mumbai South.
Mr. Patole, who had won 2014 polls from Bhandara-Gondiya seat as a BJP candidate, is likely to face trouble right at the start of his campaign in Nagpur. Few Dalit organisations had written to Mr. Gandhi against his candidature for his alleged role in supporting the perpetrators of Khairlanji massacre.
Mr. Shinde had already announced that he would be contesting from Solapur. His was the only name sent to the central selection committee.
Dr. Usendi, a former Congress MLA is a well-known figure in Gadchiroli-Chimur constituency. He had contested in 2014 general elections as well but lost to BJP.
