The BJP is contesting as many as 148 seats for the Maharashtra assembly polls. The ruling party boasts the highest number of its kind in half a dozen major political parties in both ruling and opposition camps followed by Congress, which has chosen to contest 103 seats.
Close to 8,000 aspirants, representing the largest political parties of the Mahyuti government and its opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), filed their nomination papers for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra as the process concluded on Tuesday.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded candidates in 80 seats, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's NCP has nominated 53 contestants for the November 20 polls. Five seats were given to other Mahayuti allies while no decision was taken on two segments.
In the MVA, it is contesting 103 seats, followed by Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray (UBT) that has 89 and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) with 87 seats. Six assembly seats were given to the other MVA allies; however, there was no clarity on three assembly segments.
As many as 7,995 candidates submitted 10,905 nominations with the Election Commission for the polls, a statement issued by the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer said on Tuesday.
The filing of nomination by candidates began on October 22 and has since been closed on Tuesday. On Wednesday, verification and scrutiny of the nomination papers will be done and the withdrawal of candidatures will remain open till November 4 (till 3 pm).
The EC had received a total of 5,543 nominations in 2019, and 3,239 candidates had eventually contested the assembly polls in that year.
As many as 361 candidates filed 506 nomination forms in Nashik district for the assembly elections of November 20. On Tuesday, as many as 255 of them furnished their papers.
Main ones in the fray are; Dada Bhuse and ministers in the cabinet from the constituency of Malegaon Outer and Chhagan Bhujbal from the locality of Yeola, then comes Suhas Kande, a minister in cabinet too, representing Nandgaon. Rahul Dhikle of BJP; another sitting MLA Vasant Gite from Nashik central from the same party i.e. Shiv Sena-UBT and third, Saroj Ahire sitting MLA of NCP is 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 on November 23.
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