Mumbai, New Delhi:
In a major political update from Maharashtra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first list of candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections scheduled on November 20. Among those making headlines is Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, whose name stands out in a list of 99 candidates that has just been announced. With a total of 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly, the BJP aims to contest approximately 160 seats, while its allies, Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), will compete for the remaining positions.
Devendra Fadnavis is set to make a bid for the Nagpur West Assembly seat. Since 2009, he has held this position, and Nagpur continues to be a stronghold for the BJP. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari currently serves as the parliamentary representative for Nagpur in the Lok Sabha, reinforcing the BJP’s dominance in the area, where four out of the six Assembly segments belong to the party.
Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state BJP chief, is also contesting in this crucial election, representing Kamthi in Nagpur district. The current state minister, Sudhir Mungantiwar, will be vying for the Ballarpur seat. Interestingly, Santosh Danve, son of Union Minister Raosaheb Danve, has been announced as the BJP candidate for Bhokardan.
In a surprising move, the BJP has introduced Sreejaya Chavan as a candidate for Bhokar. She is the daughter of Ashok Chavan, a former Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Ashok Chavan had transitioned from the Congress party to BJP shortly before the Lok Sabha elections and is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Mihir Kotecha, who is the sitting MLA from Mulund, has been entrusted with the party nomination once again. Similarly, the experienced Ram Kadam is making his return from Mumbai’s Ghatkopar West seat. Furthermore, the BJP has fielded its Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar in Vandre West, while state minister Chandrakant Patil will contest from Kothrud. Notably, Shelar’s brother will also be in the race, representing Malad West. Other nominated candidates include Subhash Deshmukh in Solapur and Nitesh Rane, son of veteran politician Narayan Rane, contesting from Kankavli.
This list signifies the BJP’s effort to ensure gender representation, with 13 women candidates included, along with six representatives from Scheduled Tribes and four from Scheduled Castes.
What makes this first candidate list particularly noteworthy is the decision to retain many sitting MLAs. Traditionally, the BJP often replaces incumbents to mitigate anti-incumbency sentiments and refresh choices for voters. This reliance on proven incumbents this time around hints at the party’s confidence regarding the elections, especially after a mixed performance in the recent Lok Sabha polls, where the BJP-Sena-NCP alliance only managed to win 17 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. In contrast, the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, featuring the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Sharad Pawar-led NCP, succeeded in securing 30 seats.
The last state elections in Maharashtra, conducted in 2019, reflected a strong performance by the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. However, internal disagreements regarding the Chief Minister’s position led to a break in their partnership. Uddhav Thackeray then aligned with the Congress and NCP to establish a government. This coalition eventually collapsed due to a rebellion led by Sena leader Eknath Shinde, who subsequently ascended to the role of Chief Minister.
The political dynamics framework has changed considerably between the last elections and the upcoming one. The fissures between the Sena and the NCP are likely to reshape the political landscape, adding to the excitement and unpredictability of the upcoming polls. As the election date approaches, candidates and parties alike are gearing up for what promises to be an intense electoral battle in Maharashtra.
In this fast-evolving political scenario, the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections are poised to be a pivotal moment for all involved. The candidates’ list released today showcases a strategic mix of experience and new faces, reflecting the BJP’s approach as it navigates through the competitive political environment in Maharashtra.
As campaigns ramp up and candidates begin to engage with voters across constituencies, all eyes will be on how these dynamics play out at the polls. Will the BJP maintain its stronghold, or will the transforming alliances among political parties lead to a shake-up in the state’s governance? Only time will tell as Maharashtra prepares for an election that many believe could redefine its political future.
Stay tuned for more updates as the election draws closer and campaigning intensifies.
