In a move to fight anti-incumbency, four sitting lawmakers have been dropped in the latest BJP list for Maharashtra for the Lok Sabha elections that begin next month. Pune MP Anil Shirole has been dropped and the ticket has now gone to Maharashtra Minister Girish Bapat. In total, six sitting MPs have been dropped. Girish Bapat had wanted to contest from Pune in 2014 but Anil Shirole was preferred over him. This time, however, the BJP feels Mr Bapat will be a better candidate to take on the NCP-Congress combine, which is yet to announce a candidate. After being denied the Lok Sabha ticket in 2014, Mr Bapat later won the assembly elections from Kasba in a tough poll battle with MNS candidate Ravindra Dhangekar, who has now joined the Congress. Mr Bapat, by virtue of being the guardian minister for Pune, is a more recognized face in the city and he also holds the important food and civil supplies portfolio in the state. He had faced flak for being on a junket abroad during the Tur dal procurement crisis in the state in 2017. The Congress is yet to declare its candidate for Pune as there is an internal tussle. Abhay Chhajed, Mohan Joshi and Arvind Shinde are among the contenders from the Congress for the seat. Meanwhile, Mr Bapat has already started campaigning in the constituency. Another sitting lawmaker who has been dropped is Sharad Bansode from Solapur. The BJP has given the ticket to Jaisidhesvar Swami this time. Sharad Bansode had managed an impressive victory against Congress leader and former Chief Minister and Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde who lost by a huge margin. Mr Shinde is contesting this time again and will face Jaisidhesvar Swami as the NDA candidate. Sitting Dindori lawmaker Harishchandra Chavan has also been dropped from the seat which is reserved for ST candidates. Mr Chavan won the seat in 2009 and 2014 but this time the BJP has fielded Bharti Pawar who left the NCP and joined the BJP. Bharti Pawar had lost to Harishchandra Chavan by a huge margin in the 2014 polls.