The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made significant announcements on Wednesday, revealing its 2nd list of Lok Sabha candidates from Maharashtra. This roster includes familiar faces like Union Minister Nitin Gadkari contesting from Nagpur, Piyush Goyal from Mumbai North, and BJP Secretary Pankaja Munde from Beed. However, it also marked the exclusion of four incumbent MPs.
Among the prominent names unveiled are Raosaheb D. Danve for Jalna, Dr. Bharati P. Pawar for Dindori–ST, Dr. Heena V. Gavit for Nandurbar, Dr. Subhash R. Bhamre for Dhule, Raksha N. Khadse for Raver, Sudhir Mungantiwar, a state Minister, stepping into the fray from Chandrapur, Mihir Kotecha representing Mumbai North East, Dr. Sujaya R. Vikhe-Patil contesting from Ahmednagar, and Ranjitsinh H. Naik-Nimbalkar vying for Madha.
Additionally, the list includes Sanjaykaka Patil for Sangli, Sudhakar T. Shrangare for Latur–SC, Murlidhar K. Mohol for Pune, Kapil M. Patil for Bhiwandi, Prataprao P. Chikhalikar for Nanded, Ramdas C. Tadas for Wardha, Anup Dhotre for Akola, and Smita Wagh for Jalgaon.
The BJP's decision to drop four sitting MPs is noteworthy. Union Minister Goyal steps in for Gopal C. Shetty in Mumbai North, Pankaja Munde replaces her sister Dr. Pritam Munde in Beed, Mihir Kotecha fills in for Manoj K. Kotak in Mumbai North East, and Smita Wagh takes the place of Unmesh B. Patil in Jalgaon.
State Minister Mungantiwar, an experienced four-time legislator and former minister, enters the parliamentary arena from Chandrapur, challenging the sole Congress MP in the outgoing Lok Sabha, Suresh N. Dhanorkar.
Union Minister Gadkari, previously absent from the initial BJP list, will vie for Nagpur for the third consecutive time. Meanwhile, Pankaja Munde, amidst speculations, finds her place in Beed, succeeding her sibling.
With 20 candidates announced out of the 48 constituencies in Maharashtra, it remains to be seen how the rest will be distributed among the BJP's allies in the MahaYuti coalition, including the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Nationalist Congress Party helmed by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, and other smaller parties. Dr. Shrikant Shinde, the sitting MP from Kalyan and son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, is likely to represent Shiv Sena, while Sunetra A. Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, anticipates an NCP ticket from Baramati.
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