Maharashtra Elections: Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena releases list of 45 candidates

Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on Tuesday released the first list of 45 candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. The list includes Eknath Shinde's name, who will contest from Kopri-Panchpakhadi in Thane city. The list, released late Tuesday night, also features over half a dozen cabinet ministers running from their current constituencies. Nearly all the MLAs who supported Shinde during his June 2022 revolt against then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray have been re-nominated by the ruling party.

"The list of official candidates of Shiv Sena Party for Maharashtra Assembly Election - 2024 is being announced with the blessings of Hindu Heart Emperor Honorable Shiv Sena Chief Balasaheb Thackeray and Honorable Dharmaveer Anand Dighe Saheb," Shinde said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).



"Good luck to all the candidates," the post further said.

The Shiv Sena has become the second major political party to unveil its list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, following its ally, the BJP, which announced 99 candidates on Sunday.

The elections for the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are scheduled for November 20, with the votes set to be counted on November 23.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will seek re-election from the Kopri-Panchpakhadi seat in Thane, adjacent to Mumbai. The party has also fielded key ministers, including Gulabrao Patil from Jalgaon Rural, Deepak Kesarkar from Sawantwadi, Abdul Sattar from Sillod, and Shambhuraj Desai from Patan.

Dada Bhuse, another cabinet member, will contest from Malegaon Outer in Nashik district. Ministers Uday Samant and Tanaji Sawant will compete from Ratnagiri and Paranda, respectively. Prominent leader Sada Sarvankar is in the race for the Mahim seat in Mumbai.

The Shiv Sena has also fielded several family members of notable leaders. Kiran Samant, brother of minister Uday Samant, will contest from Rajapur. Suhas Babar, son of the late legislator Anil Babar, will run for the Khanapur seat in Sangli district. Manisha Waikar, wife of Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Waikar, has been fielded from Jogeshwari (East), while Abhijit Adsul, son of former Union minister Anand Adsul, will contest from Daryapur in Amravati district. Vilas Bhumre, son of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar MP Sandipan Bhumre, is running for the Paithan seat.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP, has yet to finalize its seat-sharing arrangement for the polls.