Lagatar24 Desk
Mumbai: In preparation for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of 99 candidates, featuring several prominent figures, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. The party will be contesting 151 out of 288 seats, with the remaining seats allocated to allies Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
Devendra Fadnavis is contesting from Nagpur West, a constituency he has held since 2009. Nagpur, known as a BJP stronghold, is represented by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari in the Lok Sabha. Out of six Assembly seats under Gadkari’s Nagpur parliamentary constituency, four are currently held by the BJP.
Other notable names include Maharashtra BJP President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, contesting from Kamthi in Nagpur district, and state minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, who will fight for the Ballarpur seat. Santosh Danve, son of Union Minister Raosaheb Danve, has been fielded from Bhokardan, continuing the party’s legacy candidates trend.
In a significant move, BJP has chosen Sreejaya Chavan for the Bhokar seat. She is the daughter of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan, who switched allegiance from Congress to BJP before the Lok Sabha elections and now serves as a Rajya Sabha member.
Mihir Kotecha, sitting MLA from Mulund, and Ram Kadam, a three-time legislator from Ghatkopar West, will also be contesting again. Ashish Shelar, BJP’s Mumbai chief, is in the fray for Vandre West, while Chandrakant Patil will represent Kothrud. Subhash Deshmukh has been chosen for Solapur, and Nitesh Rane, son of veteran leader Narayan Rane, will contest from Kankavli.
With heavyweights like Fadnavis and Bawankule leading the charge, the BJP is gearing up for a competitive battle in Maharashtra, where alliances and regional influence will play crucial roles.
