Nashik: The troubles of the Nationalist Congress Party over Ahmednagar seat are growing by the day.A day after local Congress leaders vouched support for Sujay Vikhe Patil, the probable BJP candidate, a section of local NCP unit has demanded that all the 18 corporators expelled from the party be taken back.They were suspended in January this year for voting in favour of the BJP candidate, Babasaheb Wakale, in the mayoral polls. Although BJP had emerged third in the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation (AMC) polls with 14 seats, Wakale became the mayor with the help of these 18 NCP corporators.“Some of the local leaders have demanded that the expulsion be revoked so that these elected representatives and their supporters can campaign for the party nominee during the polls,” said a district NCP functionary.According to NCP sources the party high command is not in any mood to oblige to their demand. “They feel that if the expulsions are revoked, then a negative message would go to the voters that the NCP had helped the BJP win the mayoral polls. That would be disastrous for the party, not only in Ahmednagar, but also across the state,” sources said.At the moment, the NCP is toying with the idea of giving the ticket to their senior Ahmednagar leader and MLC Arun Jagtap. His son, MLA Sangram Jagtap, had played an important role in getting the support of the 18 NCP corporators for BJP in the mayoral polls.“A major section of the party wants Sangram as the candidate. He is as young as Sujay. But the Jagtap family is keen that Arun contest the polls because of his vast experience,” NCP sources added.“But if Sangram gets the ticket he would have to fall back on these 18 corporators, who are his loyalists. This complex scenario has put the NCP high command in a fix. The state leaders are deliberating on the issue and would take the final call within the next couple of days,” said a NCP functionary.Sangram was, however, last year arrested in connection with the twin murders of Shiv Sena leaders in Ahmednagar. He has vehemently denied he had any role to play in the killing.Shiv Sena deputy chief Sanjay Kotkar and local party leader Vasant Thube were shot and stabbed to death by two motorcycle-riding assailants in the crowded Shahunagar area in Kedgaon. The murder took place after the declaration of the bypoll results of a local ward in Kedgaon under the Ahmednagar Municipal Corporation (AMC).

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