As the Maharashtra Assembly elections approach, the Congress party is ramping up its campaign by announcing the names of its candidates. On Saturday, the party unveiled its third list, which includes 16 candidates, bringing the total number of candidates announced to 87. This strategic move showcases Congress's commitment to securing seats in the upcoming polls, which are set for November 20.
Among the candidates in this latest list are Rana Dalipkumar Sanada, who will contest from Khamgaon, and Hemant Nanda Chimote, who will run in Melghat. The party has also nominated Manohar Tulshiram Poreti from Gadchiroli, Manikrao Thakare from Digras, and Mohanrao Marotrao Ambade from Nanded South.
Additionally, Nivruttirao Kondiba Kamble is set to contest from Deglur, while Hanmantrao Venjkatrao Patil Betmogarekar will represent Mukhed. Ejaj Beg Ajij Beg has been chosen for Malegaon Central, and Shirishkumar Vasantrao Kotwal will run from Chandvad.
The Congress party’s list also features Lakibhau Bhika Jadhav from Iqatupri, Dayanand Motiram Choraghe from Bhiwandi West, and Sachin Sawant from Andheri West.
Asif Zakaria has been fielded from Vandre West, while Kuldepp Dhiraj Appasaheb Kdam Patil will represent Tuljapur. Rajesh Bharat Latkar has been nominated from Kolhapur North, and Prithviraj Gulabrao Patil will contest from Sangli.
This announcement follows the earlier releases by Congress, with a second list of 23 candidates made public on October 26 and an initial list of 48 candidates revealed on October 24. This strategic rollout of candidates aims to generate momentum and create a strong presence in the assembly elections.
Additionally, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which includes Congress, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), and the Nationalist Congress Party led by Sharad Pawar, has solidified its seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly polls.
Each party in the alliance will contest from 85 seats, while the allocation for the remaining 23 seats will be determined based on their respective candidate lists.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole emphasised that this collaborative effort demonstrates the unity and strength of the alliance, reinforcing their commitment to contest the elections together.
This alliance is crucial as they prepare to face off against the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde, as well as the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
As the election date approaches, preparations are intensifying on both sides of the political spectrum. The nomination process for the 288 assembly seats is currently underway, with polling scheduled for November 20. The results of the election are expected to be announced on November 23.
In the context of previous elections, the stakes are high. In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP emerged victorious with 105 seats, while the Shiv Sena secured 56 seats, and the Congress managed to obtain 44 seats. The scenario was somewhat different in 2014 when the BJP won 122 seats, and the Shiv Sena captured 63, while the Congress managed only 42 seats.
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