Maharashtra Polls: Shiv Sena releases list of 20 candidates; fields Milind Deora, Sanjay Nirupam

Mumbai: The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Sunday released its new list of 20 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The list features Milind Deora, who will contest against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray in Worli. Sanjay Nirupam has been fielded from the Dindoshi constituency.

Nilesh Rane, son of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and former Maharashtra chief minister Narayan Rane to contest elections from the Kudal seat.

Milind Deora is currently a Rajya Sabha member and is a three-time MP from South Mumbai. Deora was given the task during the Lok Sabha polls to handle Worli.

Earlier today, BJP leader and former Union Minister Raosaheb Patil Danve’s daughter Sanjana Jadhav joined the Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Along with Sanjana Jadhav, former BJP MP Rajendra Gavit and former BJP Corporator Murji Patel also joined the party.
Both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) — comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress — have intensified their preparations for the upcoming elections to 288 Assembly seats in the State. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

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.