(rptg, adding dropped matter in para three)

Mumbai, July 15 (UNI) The election for Maharashtra NCP president's post will be held on July 17 at Patkar Hall in South Mumbai in the presence of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.

The election, if needed, will take place at 1700 hrs, NCP sources said.

According to NCP sources, even though there is possibility of current incumbent Arun Gujarathi being retained, Union Minister of State for Rural Development Suryakanta Patil may prove to be the dark horse to make way for former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, who may make an entry into the Congress-led UPA government.

With Mr Sangma getting re-elected to the Lok Sabha in a by-election from Meghalaya, the total strength of NCP in the Lok Sabha is 10. While in Rajya Sabha,there are three MPs and one seat lying vacant due to the death of Vasant Chavan earlier this week.

Ms Patil, a close confidante of Mr Pawar represents the Hingoli parliamentary constituency in Marathwada region.

According to NCP sources, apart from Ms Patil's name, Finance minister Jayant Patil and former minister Digvijay Khanvilkar are being considered for the state NCP president's post. All three contenders belong to the powerful Maratha community. With crucial local bodies elections round the corner,a section of NCP feels that the state unit needs to be headed by somebody from the community.

Mr Gujarathi, a former speaker of the state Legislative Assembly, was defeated from his Chopda assembly constituency in 2004 assembly elections. He was made the NCP president of state unit in October 2004 and recently elected to the Legislative Council.

NCP sources say if Mr Gujarathi who has held several ministerial posts in the previous Congress governments is not retained in the present post, he may be inducted in the Congress led DF government.

Party general secretary Gurunath Kulkarni said the state unit president would be chosen through consensus in meeting with party leaders and Mr Pawar.

Meanwhile, Energy Minister Dilip Walse Patil has been appointed to oversee the organisational election process in place of late Vasant Chavan.

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