All-India Congress Committee observer Nishith Vyas was in the city on Saturday to scrutinise the probable Congress candidate for Pune seat. The atmosphere at the Congress Bhavan was all charged up with followers of candidates shouting slogans. This was more so between the followers of Kalmadi and Joshi, as it was an opportunity for the aspirants to show their strength.

While Kalmadi has already started reaching out to the voters by holding public programmes, his opponents have objected to this saying that the candidate is yet to be finalised by the party. There is a strong faction opposing Kalmadi in the city Congress. Mohan Joshi, who had contested the 1999 Lok Sabha elections and secured the second position, has staked his claim this time. However, other names that are doing the rounds — including Ulhas Pawar, Sharad Ranpise and Anant Gadgil — were not among the interviewed candidates.

Talking about Baramati and Maval constituencies, Vyas said, “We all know that Baramati is a stronghold of the NCP. But now, the young leaders in the party are keen to contest polls.” However, Vyas did not reveal the names of the aspiring candidates from both the constituencies.

Exuding confidence that the Congress will continue to be in power at the Centre, Vyas said, “While finalising the names of candidates, winning is the first criterion and other factors follow it,”

Though Vyas did not reveal the names of candidates from these two constituencies, the names that are making rounds from Baramati constituency are former minister Anantrao Thopate, former MP Sambhajirao Kakade and former MLA Sambhajirao Kunjir.