BJP releases first list of 99 candidates for Maharashtra assembly polls: Fadnavis, Bawankule among big names
Maharastra state's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis BJP
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday (Oct 20) announced its first list of 99 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra legislative elections. The state assembly has a total of 288 seats, and the BJP plans to contest 151 of them.
One of the key candidates in the first list is Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who will be running from his traditional constituency, Nagpur South West. State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule has been nominated from Kamthi.
The list also features Nitesh Rane, son of senior BJP leader and Lok Sabha MP Narayan Rane. He will be contesting from Kankavli, the seat he currently holds in the assembly.
Other notable names in the list include former state president Chandrakant Patil, who will contest from Kothrud, Ram Kadam from Ghatkopar West, Shweta Mahale Patil from Chikli, and Vijaykumar Gavit from Nandurbar (ST).
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Thirteen women candidates are also on the list. Among them is Shrijaya Chavan, the daughter of former Congress leader Ashok Chavan, who joined BJP earlier this year. She will be contesting from Bhokar.
In Mumbai, Ram Kadam will contest from Ghatkopar West, Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar from Vandre West, Rahul Narwekar from Colaba, and Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill.
Mumbai polls schedule
Maharashtra's Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting to take place on November 23. The BJP is aiming to retain power in the state in alliance with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's NCP.
The BJP-led Mahayuti alliance will be up against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes Congress, the NCP(SP), and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction. The MVA is hoping to replicate its success from the Lok Sabha elections, where it won 31 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra.
(With inputs from agencies)
