Sanjay Kakade Gains Momentum in NCP MLC Nomination Race

New Delhi/ Mumbai, Apr 28 (UNI) The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is continuing to hold internal consultations over its Legislative Council nomination, with Vikram Sanjay Kakade emerging as a leading contender amid shifting equations within the party.

Party sources indicate that Kakade’s name has moved into sharper focus following backing from Parth Pawar, whose growing influence among younger leaders is increasingly shaping internal alignments. Parth, a Rajya Sabha MP, is the elder son of Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, and the late Ajit Pawar.

A section within the party, informally referred to as the “Parth group”, is understood to be supporting Kakade’s candidature. Kakade, son of former MP Sanjay Kakade, has longstanding links to Pune’s political and business landscape. His candidature is being assessed within the broader context of the party’s attempt to balance organisational continuity with generational representation.

Before entering political discussions, Kakade had a background in competitive shooting. He trained at the Gun for Glory Shooting Academy, founded by Olympian Gagan Narang, and had competed at the national level, including a gold medal in the double trap event at the G.V. Mavlankar Shooting Championships in 2013.

He is also associated with infrastructure and real estate businesses in Pune, linked to family-run enterprises. Party functionaries say such cross-sector exposure is being factored into internal discussions, particularly at a time when the NCP is weighing candidate profiles against organisational requirements.

The final decision on the MLC nomination is expected at an upcoming core committee meeting, where senior leaders including Sunetra Pawar, Sunil Tatkare and Praful Patel are likely to be present. While Kakade’s name is gaining traction, the field remains open, with Suresh Birajdar, Zeeshan Siddiqui and Rajendra Jain also under consideration as the party continues its deliberations.