Pune: Vilas Lande decides to join NCP (SP) after meeting with Sharad Pawar

Pune: The number of aspirants willing to contest on the NCP (SP) ticket is rising with every passing day. Leaders who left Sharad Pawar a year ago are now returning to the party fold in hordes, following the NCP (SP) success in the Lok Sabha elections.

Among the aspirants are Madha MLA Baban Shinde and former Bhosari MLA Vilas Lande. Vikrant Lande, Vilas Lande’s son, has made a big announcement that his father will contest from the NCP (SP) in the State Assembly poll.

Shinde and Lande are most likely to leave the NCP (AP) soon after their meetings with Sharad Pawar. This has now become apparent that the NCP (SP) will breach the NCP (AP) fortress in Pimpri-Chinchwad.

Vilas Lande’s son may have announced his father’s willingness to join the NCP (SP) but he said that they were waiting for a formal confirmation from the party. This has given rise to speculations that till his candidature is announced from the NCP (SP), one could not confirm Vilas Lande’s entry into the party.

Besides Vikrant Lande, his close relative Ajit Gavhane, another former NCP (AP) leader from the twin town joining the NCP (SP), has confirmed that Vilas Lande is most likely to contest on the NCP (SP) ticket from Bhosari.