Cong releases names of 19 Maharashtra candidates, Nirupam upset

Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam would not campaign for the party in the run-up to the October 21 Maharashtra election, as the party did not go with his recommendation of a candidate.

New Delhi: Amid a threat by senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam to quit the party, Congress released the names of candidates for the remaining 19 seats.

The party has replaced candidates for Nandurbar and Sillod Assembly seats.

While in Nandurbar, it has replaced Mohan Pawan Singh with Udesingh K Padvi, in Sillod, Khaiser Azad has replaced Prabhakar Manikrao Palodkar.

The party has nominated Anand Shukla from Ghatkopar West and Sajid Khan from Akola West.

Meanwhile, a sulking Nirupam announced that he would address the media today at 11 a.m. in Mumbai.

He had earlier tweeted: "It seems the Congress Party doesn't want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected. As I had told the leadership earlier, in that case, I will not participate in the poll campaign. It's my final decision".

• It seems Congress Party doesn’t want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected.
  As I had told the leadership earlier,in that case I will not participate in poll campaign.
  Its my final decision.

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  It seems Congress Party doesn’t want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected.
  As I had told the leadership earlier,in that case I will not participate in poll campaign.
  Its my final decision.

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019

  ">

  It seems Congress Party doesn’t want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected.
  As I had told the leadership earlier,in that case I will not participate in poll campaign.
  Its my final decision.

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019

Later, he added it was not the time to quit.

• I hope that the day has not yet come to say good bye to party. But the way leadership is behaving with me, it doesn’t seem far away. https://t.co/B07biJWp5M

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  I hope that the day has not yet come to say good bye to party. But the way leadership is behaving with me, it doesn’t seem far away. https://t.co/B07biJWp5M

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019

  ">

  I hope that the day has not yet come to say good bye to party. But the way leadership is behaving with me, it doesn’t seem far away. https://t.co/B07biJWp5M

  — Sanjay Nirupam (@sanjaynirupam) October 3, 2019

The party has fielded two former Chief Ministers -- Prithviraj Chavan from Karad South and Ashok Chavan from Bhokar.

Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21.

The Congress is contesting 125 seats of the 288-member Assembly.