Maharashtra elections: BJP releases second list, fields 22 candidates

Ahead of crucial assembly polls in Maharashtra, Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday released its second list of 22 candidates. Before, the saffron party fielded 99 candidates in its first list.

The elections to the 288-member assembly will be held on November 20.



Along with BJP, Congress and NCP-SP released their lists ahead of polls on Saturday.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar said on Friday that the Mahayuti allies are still in talks over 11 of the 288 assembly seats for the November 20 elections in the state.

Pawar said that 10 per cent of the seats allotted to his party will be kept for minority candidates.

"I have already announced some names. Discussions are on for 11 seats. We can't make everyone happy," said Pawar, who will face off with his nephew Yugendra Pawar of NCP (SP) on his home turf Baramati in the Pune district.

The BJP, NCP and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are constituents of the ruling Mahayuti coalition.

Pawar was in Delhi on Thursday to hold discussions with the BJP leadership.

The BJP has announced its first list of 99 candidates so far, while the NCP has brought out two lists declaring its nominees in 45 constituencies. The Shiv Sena has shared the names of 45 candidates.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. The upcoming Maharashtra election will see a contest between the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, and the Maha Yuti Alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).