Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena on Sunday released its second list of 20 candidates, which also includes former Union Minister Milind Deora. However, he will not enjoy the privilege of being scot-free in Worli constituency as he has been pitted against Shiv Sena-UBT's Aaditya Thackeray.
Former MP Sanjay Nirupam who had quit the Congress and joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena some time before the Lok Sabha elections has been given ticket from the Dindoshi constituency. He will go up against Shiv Sena-UBT's Sunil Prabhu.
The party has fielded former Chief Minister and Union Minister Narayan Rane's son Nilesh Rane from the Kudal seat against Shiv Sena-UBT nominee Vaibhav Naik. Nilesh Rane had last week quit the BJP and joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Shinde.
With Sunday's announcement, the Shiv Sena has so far announced 65 nominees.
It has withdrawn the sitting legislator Mithun Keni from Bardez and reinstated the incumbent legislator from Ambernath Balaji Kinikar. Shinde intervened to pacify party leaders who were initially opposing renomination of Kinikar. It has again renominated Murji Patel from Andheri East against Shiv Sena-UBT's Rutuja Latke. During by-election in November 2022, when Shiv Sena (united) legislator Ramesh Latke had passed away, as BJP nominee Patel had given his nomination he had eventually withdrawn his candidature before the by-poll could take place.
The Former MP Rajendra Gavit will replace the sitting legislator, Shrinivas Vanaga, from Palghar. Gavit had left the Congress to join Shiv Sena and then BJP only to return to Shiv Sena.
The others in this list are Anand Bharose from Parbhani, Vilas Tare from Boisar, Shantaram More from Bhiwandi Rural, Santosh Shetti from Bhiwandi East, Vishwanath Bhoir from Kalyan West, Suvarna Karanje from Vikhroli, Tukaram Kate from Chembur, Vijay Shivtare from Purandar, Rajesh Kshirsagar, who happens to be the Vice Chairman of MITRA, Kolhapur North, and state council member Amshya Padvi from Akkalkua, Baliram Shiraskar from Balapur, Sambharao Kohalikar from Hadgaon, and Anand Tidke-Patil of Nanded South.
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