Summary:
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo Sharad Pawar announced five names in the first list of his party candidates for the upcoming assembly elections scheduled in October-November. Pawar, who is on a state tour, was in Beed on Wednesday where he had a meeting with senior party leaders and decided to announce the five NCP candidates' name. The Shiv Sena and the BJP had poached the 29 NCP and Congress leaders including sitting MLAs. "The majority of heavyweight political families have left the NCP and joined either BJP or Shiv Sena. "Pawar wants to strengthen the hand of young candidates..