MUAR: Sri Gading Member of Parliament Datuk Dr Sharuddin Md Salleh is among 42 candidates who will be fielded by Parti Pejuang Tanah Air (Pejuang) in the Johor state election on March 12.

Dr Sharuddin, who is also Johor Pejuang chief, will contest in the Machap seat, which is expected to see a five-cornered fight.

When announcing Pejuang's candidate list here today, party president Datuk Seri Mukhriz Mahathir said only two of the 42 candidates have contested in elections before.

The other candidate with electoral contest experience is Dr Zaini Abu Bakar, who will be standing in the Kota Iskandar seat. Dr Zaini was elected the Nusajaya state assemblyman in 2013.

Among those making their debut in elections is Nornekman Osman, son of former Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Osman Sapian, who died on Dec 21 last year.

He will stand in Kempas, a seat once held by his late father.