The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction announced three additional candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, continuing its preparations under former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s leadership.
According to the list released on Saturday, party leaders Harun Khan, Sanjay Bhalerao, and Sandeep Naik will contest from the constituencies of Versova, Ghatkopar West, and Vile Parle, respectively.
This announcement follows an earlier release on Wednesday, in which the UBT faction revealed a list of 65 candidates, including Aaditya Thackeray, who is set to contest from Worli once again.
Aaditya, a prominent figure in the party, filed his nomination on Thursday, underscoring the party's focus on continuity and experience. Meanwhile, a notable match-up will occur in the Kopri-Panchpakhadi constituency, where Kedhar Dighe, nephew of Anand Dighe, will compete against current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
This face-off has drawn significant attention, given Anand Dighe’s role as a mentor to Shinde and the historical connection between the two political families.
Other prominent candidates from the UBT faction include Sunil Raut in Vikroli, Rajan Vichare in Thane, Dipesh Mhatre in Dombivli, and Vaishali Sooryavanshi in Pachora.
These nominations come as both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ramp up their election campaigns across Maharashtra.
The Mahayuti alliance, led by the BJP and supported by the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), faces off against the MVA coalition, which includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar's NCP faction.
With the nomination process for Maharashtra’s 288 Assembly seats now underway, political parties are accelerating their efforts to engage voters and solidify support.
Maharashtra residents are scheduled to head to the polls on November 20, and the results are expected on November 23. In the previous Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2019, the BJP emerged as the leading party with 105 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats.
In the 2014 elections, the BJP obtained 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42. This year’s election is expected to be equally competitive, with alliances on both sides striving to strengthen their foothold and present a clear vision for Maharashtra’s future.
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