BJP releases second list of 22 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly polls

Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party released the second list of 22 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly polls scheduled to be held on November 20.

According to the list released by the party, Ram Bhadane will contest from Dhule Rural, Chainsukh Madanlal Sancheti from Malkapur, Prakash Gunvantrao Bharsakale from Akot, Vijay Kamalkishor Agrawal from Akola West, Shyam Ramcharanji Khode from Washim (SC), Kewalram Tulshiram Kale from Melghat (ST), Milind Ramji Narote from Gadchiroli (ST), Deorao Vithoba Bhongle from Rajura, Krishnalal Bajirao Sahare from Brahmapuri and others.

Meanwhile, according to the first list of the BJP, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West, while state BJP president Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule will contest from the Kamthi seat.

Other key candidates include Minister Girish Mahajan who will contest from Jamner, Sudhir Mungantiwar from Ballarpur, Sreejaya Ashok Chavan from Bhokar, Ashish Shelar from Vandre West, Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill, Rahul Narwekar from Colaba, and Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje Bhosale from Satara.

Earlier, in preparation for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, a crucial meeting was held in Delhi on Thursday between Home Minister Amit Shah and leaders of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Praful Patel, and Sunil Tatkare, among others, attended the meeting.

According to sources, to resolve the seat allocation issues, the constituent parties of the Mahayuti will swap some seats. The BJP is expected to leave certain seats for the NCP, while Eknath Shinde will also concede some seats that the Shiv Sena contested in 2019.

Most seats were agreed upon in the meeting with Amit Shah, though a few remain undecided. It was concluded that decisions regarding these remaining seats will depend on which party will likely win, with leaders from all three parties meeting in Mumbai to finalise the arrangements.

As the polling date draws near, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have intensified their preparations. The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.

In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.