Rahul Thakre and Nitesh Rane, sons of Maharashtra PCC Chief Manikrao Thakre and state campaign chief Narayan Rane, figure in the third and final list of 26 Congress candidates for the Assembly polls released this afternoon.

While Rahul has been made the nominee from Yavatmal in Vidarbha, Nitesh is the candidate from Kankavli in Konkan region. Kunal Patil, son of former Minister Rohidas Patil, has replaced his father from Dhule Rural constituency while another former Minister Chandrakant Shivarkar has come in place of Kamlatai Behere from Hadapasar in Pune city.

With this list, Congress has named candidates for 287 of the 288 seats in the state. It means the party has given up plans to align with like minded parties like Samajwadi Party in the wake of the parting of ways by Sharad Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party.

Late last night, the party has come out with the second list of 143 candidates.