The Congress on Thursday named 18 more candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, fielding its Kisan cell chairman Nana Patole from the Sakoli constituency. With this, the Congress has so far announced 141 nominees for the elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.

Among the new names released by the party is Sushil Amrutrao Rane from Kankavli after its MLA from there Nitesh Rane joined the BJP.

The Congress also replaced two of its candidates.

The party has replaced candidates for Nandurbar and Sillod Assembly seats. While in Nandurbar, it has replaced Mohan Pawan Singh with Udesingh K Padvi, in Sillod, Khaiser Azad has replaced Prabhakar Manikrao Palodkar.

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The party has nominated Anand Shukla from Ghatkopar West and Sajid Khan from Akola West.

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam threatened to quit the party and announced that he would address the media on Friday at 11 am in Mumbai.

He had earlier tweeted: "It seems the Congress Party doesn't want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected. As I had told the leadership earlier, in that case I will not participate in poll campaign. It's my final decision ".

Later, he added it was not the time to quit.

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The party has fielded two former chief ministers — Prithviraj Chavan from Karad South and Ashok Chavan from Bhokar.

Elections in Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and results will be out on October 24.

The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party are contesting the election together under a pre-poll alliance. The Congress is contesting 125 seats of the 288-member Assembly.

-with inputs from agencies