Nashik, Sep 28 (PTI) Nashik Municipal Corporation Mayor Vinayak Pandey and four former mayors are in the fray for three Assembly seats in the city. Pandey, who was denied ticket by Shiv Sena, is contesting as an independent from Nashik (West) seat.

He will face Shiv Sena official candidate Sunil Bagul and a former mayor Dashrath Patil, who is also contesting as an independent on refusal of ticket by Congress. In Nashik (Central) seat, Maharashtra Minister of State and senior Congress leader Shobha Bachhav, another former mayor is contesting for the second time.

She had defeated BJP nominee D S Aher, a former Health Minister in 2004. Bachhav will cross swords with MNS candidate Vasant Gite, also a former mayor.

After Mumbai, Nashik is known as a stronghold of Raj Thackeray-led MNS. Yet another former mayor Balasaheb Sanap is in the fray in Nashik (East) as a BJP candidate.