Mumbai: On October 23, 2024, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction) announced its first list of 65 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. Among the notable nominations, Aaditya Thackeray will contest from the Worli constituency, continuing his tenure as an incumbent.
A significant matchup features Kedhar Dighe, the nephew of Anand Dighe, who will face Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in the Kopri-Panchpakhadi constituency. Anand Dighe was a mentor to Shinde, making this contest particularly intriguing.
Other key candidates in the list include:
– Sunil Raut from Vikroli
– Rajan Vichare from Thane
– Dipesh Mhatre from Dombivli
– Vaishali Sooryavanshi from Pachora
Earlier on the same day, Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also released its first list of 38 candidates. Ajit Pawar is set to contest from the Baramati Assembly constituency. Other prominent NCP candidates include Chhagan Bhujbal (Yeola) and Dilip Walse Patil (Ambegaon).
The NCP has also included former Congress MLAs in their lineup, with Hiraman Khoskar contesting from Igatpuri and Shulbha Khodke from Amravati. Khodke was expelled from Congress on October 12 and joined the NCP shortly after.
As the November 20 election date approaches, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) are ramping up their campaign efforts.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 56 and the Congress garnered 44 seats. The electoral landscape continues to evolve as candidates are announced and alliances take shape ahead of the polls, with the counting of votes scheduled for November 23.
The Political Observer is a premier online platform committed to delivering in-depth and engaging content on political affairs, social issues, and current events that matter to our readers. Our mission is to provide accurate, unbiased reporting that empowers citizens to make informed decisions in a rapidly changing world.
