Maharashtra unit Samajwadi Party president Abu Asim Azmi’s son Farhan will take on Congress MP Priya Dutt from Mumbai North Central seat while Bollywood actor Kamal Khan will lock horns with Congress veteran Gurudas Kamat in Mumbai North West in upcoming polls.
SP announced a list of 22 candidates from Maharashtra, which sends 48 MPs to Lok Sabha. The party will contest four out of six Lok Sabha seats in Mumbai.
Contrary to reports that he would enter the fray from Mumbai South constituency against Congress’ sitting MP Milind Deora, Farhan will take on Priya Dutt from Mumbai North Central.
BJP leader late Pramod Mahajan’s daughter Poonam Mahajan and AAP’s Phiroze Palkhivala, lawyer and nephew of late Nani Palkhivala, are also in the ring from this seat.
SP has fielded Bollywood actor Kamal Khan, who had created a controversy with his role in film ‘Deshdrohi’ when MNS’ anti-north Indian agitation was at its peak, from Mumbai North West seat against Kamat.
Other candidates in the fray from this constituency are Bollywood director Mahesh Manjarekar who is MNS nominee, Gajanan Kirtikar of Shiv Sena and Mayank Gandhi of AAP.
SP has fielded Kashinath Pasi, who is facing criminal cases, from Mumbai South Central seat against Congress veteran and sitting MP Eknath Gaekwad, Aditya Shirodkar of MNS and Rahul Shewale of Shiv Sena.
When asked for the need to field a “tainted” nominee, Azmi senior said, “Pasi is being fielded to win elections.”
Kamlesh Yadav and Rais Shaikh are SP candidates from Mumbai North and Mumbai North East seats, respectively. All Mumbai seats are going to polls on April 24.
Prominent among other seats in the state, SP has fielded Dr Rameshwar Thackeray from Bhandara-Gondia seat being represented by NCP stalwart and Union Minister Praful Patel and Manikrao Bawane from Beed against BJP leader Gopinath Munde.
