Maharashtra Assembly elections: BJP releases first list of 99 candidates, Fadnavis to contest from Nagpur South West, Bawankule from Kamthi
Maharashtra Assembly elections: In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP had won 105 of the 164 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena.
TAKING THE lead in announcing nominees for the November 20 Assembly elections in Maharas-htra, the BJP on Sunday released its first list of 99 candidates, retaining 80 of its sitting MLAs.
The party, which is likely to contest around 160 of the total 288 seats, is currently engaged in tough bargaining with its ruling allies — Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP — for the rest of the seats.
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In the 2019 Assembly elections, the BJP had won 105 of the 164 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena.
Prominent among those figuring in the BJP’s first list are Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule. While Fadnavis will contest from his traditional Nagpur South West constituency, Bawankule, who was denied a ticket in the last elections, will contest from Kamthi.
The list also includes former chief minister and Rajya Sabha MP Ashok Chavan’s daughter Shreejaya Chavan, who will make her electoral debut from her family stronghold of Bhokar in Nanded district. Ashok Chavan, who previously held the seat, switched to the BJP from the Congress on the eve of the Lok Sabha elections this year. Shreejaya is among the 13 women candidates fielded by the BJP in its first list.
In at least four constituencies it won last time, the BJP has fielded fresh candidates.
In Phulambri, the party has fielded Arundhatitai Chavan. The seat was previously represented by Haribhau Bagade, who was made the Governor of Rajasthan.
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In Chinchwad, the party replaced its sitting MLA Ashwini Laxman Jagtap with her brother-in-law Shankar Jagtap. Ashwini last year won the seat, which was represented by her late husband Laxman Jagtap, in a bypoll. Sources said she was dropped following pressure from the party’s local unit.
In Shrigonda constituency, the party replaced sitting MLA Babanrao Panchpute with his wife Pratibha Panchpute. Also, in Kalyan East, the party replaced its sitting MLA Ganpat Gaikwad with his wife Sulabha Gaikwad. Ganpat Gaikwad is currently in prison for opening fire at a rival, Shiv Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad, in a police station.
The first list also has the names of Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar (Colaba) and minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha (Malabar Hill). Other ministers include Girish Mahajan (Jamner); Sudhir Mungantiwar (Ballarpur); Atul Save (Aurangabad East); Chandrakant Patil (Kothrud); and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil (Shirdi).
Mungantiwar had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha election from Chandrapur constituency.
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In Sindhudurg’s Kankavli, the party has fielded Nitesh Rane, son of former chief minister Narayan Rane.
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar also made it to the first list. He will contest from Bandra West. The party has also fielded his elder brother, BMC corporator Vinod Shelar, from Malad West.
Out of 36 seats in Mumbai, the BJP has announced candidates for 14. Apart from the Shelar brothers and minister Lodha, the others are Manisha Chaudhury (Dahisar); Atul Bhatkhalkar (Kandivali East); Yogesh Sagar (Charkop); Vidya Thakur (Goregaon); Ameet Satam (Andheri West); Parag Alvani (Vile Parle); R Tamil Selvan (Sion Koliwada); Kalidas Kolambkar (Wadala); Rahul Narwekar (Colaba); Ram Kadam (Ghatkopar West); and Mihir Kotecha (Mulund).
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