(L-R) NCP(SP) leader Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde, Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray
Credit: PTI File Photos
Mumbai: Nearly 8,000 candidates, including those from major political parties in ruling as well as opposition camps, have filed their nominations for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra at the end of the process on Tuesday.
As many as 7,995 candidates have filed 10,905 nominations with the Election Commission (EC) for the November 20 polls, said a statement issued by the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).
Filing of nominations by candidates began on October 22 and the process ended on October 29. The verification and scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is November 4 (till 3 pm).
In 2019, a total of 5,543 nominations were received by the EC throughout the state and 3,239 candidates finally contested the assembly polls that year.
As many as 361 candidates have filed 506 nominations for the assembly elections in Nashik district. Of these, 255 candidates submitted their papers on Tuesday.
Prominent candidates include cabinet ministers Dada Bhuse (Shiv Sena) from Malegaon Outer and Chhagan Bhujbal (NCP) from Yeola, Suhas Kande (Shiv Sena) from Nandgaon, Rahul Dhikle (BJP) from Nashik East, former MLA Vasant Gite (Shiv Sena-UBT) from Nashik Central and sitting MLA Saroj Ahire (NCP) from Deolali.
State food and civil supplies minister Chhagan Bhujbal's nephew Samir resigned from the NCP and filed his nomination as an independent against sitting MLA Suhas Kande (Shiv Sena) from Nandgaon.
Polling will take place on November 20 and votes will be counted three days later.
The ruling Mahayuti, consisting of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and deputy CM Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the opposition MVA, comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP), are the main contenders for power.
Assembly Elections 2024 | The Maharashtra Assembly polls will take place against the backdrop of a fractured political landscape in the western state where the Shiv Sena and NCP will be going up against the Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar factions, even as the BJP and Congress try to make their mark. Meanwhile, in Jharkhand, the JMM faces a new challenge after Hemant Soren's recent arrest and Champai, a longstanding party member, joining the BJP. The Haryana election resulted in a shock loss for Congress, which was looking to galvanize on the Lok Sabha poll performance, while J&K also saw the grand old party eventually stepping away from the cabinet, with Omar Abdullah's JKNC forming government. It remains to be seen if the upcoming polls help BJP cement its position further or provide a fillip to I.N.D.I.A. Check live updates and track the latest coverage, live news, in-depth opinions, and analyses only on Deccan Herald.
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