Mumbai, Oct 21 : NCP led by Ajit Pawar on Monday announced a list of 27 star campaigners for the Maharashtra Assembly elections slated for November 20.





However, the party legislator Nawab Malik has been missing from the list. Malik after his medical bail has been associated with the Ajit Pawar faction and he is expected to contest from Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar while his daughter Sana Malik from Anushakti Nagar constituency on NCP's clock symbol.



'Only the pink storm will sweep in Maharashtra. The hands of the NCP's clock will spin vigorously. In order to convey the nationalist thought of development to the general public, the list of star campaigners of the Nationalist Congress Party is being announced in the background of the upcoming assembly elections,' said Ajit Pawar.



The list includes Ajit Pawar, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse-Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Hasan Mushrif, Narahari Zirwal, Aditi Tatkare, Nitin Patil, Sayani Shinde, Amol Mitkari, Jallauddin Sayyed, Dhiraj Sharma, Rupali Chakankar, Indris Nayakwadi, Suraj Chavan, Kalyan Akhade, Sunil Magare, Mahesh Shinde, Rajlaxmi Bhosale, Surekha Thakre, Udayakumar Aher, Shashikant Tarange, Wasim Burhan, Prashant Kadam and Sandhya Sonawane.



Meanwhile, the Ajit Pawar faction, even before the release of its list of candidates, handed over A and B forms to about 17 candidates. This development comes a day after the BJP announced its first list of 99 candidates.



'We have begun the process of giving A and B forms. On Monday, 17 candidates were given the forms. More candidates will be given the forms as the names are finalised,' said a senior party leader.



He added that the party's final list is likely to be announced on Wednesday.



Form A and Form B, denote that a certain candidate has been approved by a political party and should be allotted the election symbol of that party.



The list of party legislators, who received A and B forms include Ajit Pawar (Baramati), Chhagan Bhujbal (Yewala), Dilip Walse-Patil (Ambegaon), Hasan Mushrif (Kagal), Dhananjay Munde (Parali), Narahari Zirwal (Dindori), Anil Patil (Amalner), Dharmaraobaba Atram's (Aheri), Aditi Tatkare (Shrivardhan), Sanjay Bansode (Udgir), Dattatray Bharne (Indapur), Manikrao Kokate (Sinnar), Hiraman Khotkar (Igatpuri), Dilip Bankar (Nifad), Saroj Ahire (Devlali) and Anna Bansode (Pimpri). The party has inducted Bharat Gavit, who is the son of former union minister Manikrao Gavit. Bharat Gavit is expected to be fielded from the Navapur constituency.



Monday's development comes amid NCP's several leaders have deserted Ajit Pawar and joined the Sharad Pawar faction. Four party MLAs, namely Nilesh Lanke, Dipak Chavan, Rajendra Shingane, and Babandada Shinde have already shifted to NCP-SP. Interestingly, Chavan has shifted despite announcing his candidature by Ajit Pawar.



/IANS