KOLHAPUR: Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) leader Prakash Ambedkar on Tuesday announced the names of candidates for five Lok Sabha constituencies in western Maharashtra The Dalit leader, who made the announcement during a rally here, also resolved to contest all ten seats in the region that is considered an NCP bastion.The five constituencies are Pune, Baramati , Madha, Satara and Sangli. Ambedkar is expected to declare the names of candidates for Hatkangale and Kolhapur constituencies soon.The party has picked up three candidates belonging to the Dhangar community, which is said to be upset with the Devendra Fadnavis government over the reservation issue.The move is apparently to counter minister of state Mahadev Jankar, whose Rashtriya Samaja Party is still in the NDA.In an attempt to attract other dominant castes, Ambedkar declared the candidature of Vitthal Satav from Pune, who belongs to the Mali community which represents other backward class. "The party will field a Muslim candidate from Hatkangale constituency," he said.Sahdev Ahiwale will fight from Satara. Sources said that the VBA decided to field a common man as Udayanraje is the direct descendant of Shivaji.Ambedkar announced the names of candidates from Baramati and Madha, both considered as bastions of the Pawar family. Supriya Sule and Vijaysinh Mohite-Patil of the NCP are sitting Lok Sabha members from Baramati and Madha.Ambedkar's party has chosen Dhangar candidates in Madha and Baramati, where the Dhangar community is dominant. Navnath Padalkar will contest from Baramati while Vijay More from Madha.

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