Undeterred by the defection of its leaders to BJP and Shiv Sena, the Congress and NCP are putting up a brave front saying that deserters will be put in their place by the voters on October 21. Both parties have already shortlisted new faces, especially youngsters, and some senior leaders who are to be fielded against those who joined the BJP and Shiv Sena. NCP in particular is not averse to fielding leaders who left BJP to join it.

NCP is set to renominate sitting legislator Dattatray Bharne in Indapur constituency, which is a part of the Baramati Lok Sabha seat against former Congress minister Harshvardhan Patil who has joined the BJP. Bharne hails from the politically crucial Dhangar community which has expressed anger against the BJP-led government for not keeping its promise to provide them reservation under the Scheduled Tribe category. Patil, who lost to Bharne in the 2014 election, will have to strive to win the seat with BJP's organisational network.

Pawar has already announced the candidature of Sandeep Kshirsagar against his uncle and former NCP minister Jaidutt Kshirsagar in Beed. Kshirsagar shifted his loyalty to Shiv Sena and became a minister.

The NCP is likely to nominate Guhagar Nagar Parishad chief Raju Bendal against its former state unit chief Bhaskar Jadhav, who recently joined Shiv Sena. Bendal, who comes from the Kunbi community had recently won the Nagar Parishad election defeating the panel filed by Jadhav.

Similarly, NCP has hinted that it will nominate former BJP leader Deepak Pawar against Shivendra Raje Bhosale, who is the 13th direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji Raje Bhosale in the Satara constituency. Bhosale recently joined the BJP.

Party president Sharad Pawar, who addressed a well-attended rally on Sunday, hoped that the party will retain its Satara seat and said that the defection of Shivendra Raje Bhosale and party MP Udayanraje Bhosale to BJP would not impact its poll prospects.

NCP has proposed to give candidature to Balraje Patil or Rajendra Raut against former minister and NCP legislator Dilip Sopal in Barshi, which has a sizeable presence of Lingayat community. In Osmanabad, the party has shortlisted party legislator Vikram Kale, Makarand Nimbalkar and Kailash Patil to take on Rana Jagatjit Singh Patil in Osmanabad. Patil is the son of former NCP minister and Pawar's close confidant Dr Padmasinh Patil.

Former BJP leader Ashok Bhangre and NCP leaders Kiran Lahmate, Madhukar Talpade are being considered to face former legislator Vaibhav Pichad, who has joined BJP, in Akola.

As far as the Congress party is concerned, it may nominate Prabhakar Palodkar against former legislator Abdul Sattar in Sillod constituency. Sattar recently joined Shiv Sena.