To cash in on auspicious Thursday, politicians in Maharashtra rush to file nominations

Though the Congress and the NCP (SP) are yet to officially declare candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections, many party leaders will file their nominations today.

Harshvardhan Patil filed his nomination from the Indapur Assembly segment in the presence of party working president Supriya Sule. (FB)

With the auspicious ‘Guru Pushpya Amrit Yog’ falling on Thursday, politicians in Maharashtra are rushing to file their nominations for the upcoming Assembly elections even before their names have been officially announced by their parties.

While the Congress and the NCP (SP) are yet to officially declare a single candidate for the Assembly elections, all other parties, including the BJP, the Shiv Sena, the NCP, the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and other smaller parties have declared the names of a few candidates.

‘Guru Pushpya Amrit Yog’ is considered an auspicious time to perform religious rituals, begin new endeavours, and seek blessings from spiritual teachers. Leaders cutting across party lines are set to file their nominations on Thursday.

In western Maharashtra, NCP (SP) leaders Jayant Patil, the state party chief, and Rohit Patil will file their nominations in their constituencies in Sangli and Harshvardhan Patil will file his nomination from the Indapur Assembly segment in the presence of party working president Supriya Sule.

Similarly, sitting MLA Sangram Thopte of the Congress will file his nomination from the Bhor Assembly seat in Pune district on Thursday in the presence of state Congress chief Nana Patole, Sule and Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders.

Others filing their nominations on Thursday are Jitendra Awhad of the NCP (SP), Aaditya Thackeray of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Chhagan Bhujbal, Narhari Zirwal, and Dhananjay Munde of the NCP, and Yashomati Thakur of the Congress.

“There is some confusion with the list of candidates so we will first share the Congress list with NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to avoid confusion. There are some seats on which we will have discussions. The seat sharing has to be finalised today as the Congress’s Central Election Committee will meet on Friday,” state Congress chief Nana Patole said on Thursday.

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Pune NCP (SP) chief Prashant Jagtap said that the party has given the go-ahead to certain candidates to file their nomination on this auspicious day. “Declaring the list of candidates is just for the convenience of the public and has nothing to do with the actual election process. Some political parties hand over the AB form [the documents prove a candidate has been approved by a political party and should be allotted its election symbol] to their candidate even before declaring the list,” he said.

Among those who have been declared as official candidates include ministers Chandrakant Patil of the BJP from Kothrud and Dilip Walse Patil of the NCP from Ambegaon, and BJP leader Sudhir Gadgil in Sangli.

Elections for the 288 Assembly seats in Maharashtra will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune, a role that reflects his seniority and editorial Authority. He is a highly specialized journalist whose work demonstrates significant Expertise in the critical areas of urban development, governance, and sustainability, often linking policy to its on-the-ground impact across Maharashtra. Expertise Senior Editorial Role: As an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Ajay Jadhav contributes to the editorial direction and maintains high standards of Trustworthiness and quality in his reporting. Core Specialization: His reporting focuses intensely on the intersection of infrastructure, politics, and social development, with expertise in: Infrastructure and Civic Issues: Provides in-depth coverage of crucial development and urban governance topics. His work includes reporting on the glaring contrast between planned infrastructure projects (like private helipads) and the lack of basic facilities (schools and hospitals) in politically significant areas, highlighting accountability gaps. Politics and Governance: Consistently reports on political developments, scrutinizing decision-making that affects public life and development initiatives in Maharashtra. Sustainable Development & Environment: Demonstrates a commitment to responsible development by reporting on initiatives that successfully protect the environment while ensuring essential infrastructure development. Investigative and Policy Impact: National Impact: Ajay has written notable research articles on Conservancy staff which achieved a nationwide impact by directly contributing to the framing of policies aimed at improving the working conditions of waste-handling laborers. This demonstrates his capacity for impactful, evidence-based journalism. Additional Interests Personal Engagement: His background as a trekker and sports enthusiast suggests a keen personal interest in the environment and outdoor spaces, which likely informs his detailed and passionate reporting on sustainable development and civic issues. Ajay Jadhav's sustained focus on governance, his track record of high-impact policy-shaping research, and his critical eye for infrastructure gaps establish him as a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis in Pune and Maharashtra. ... Read More

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