BJP Nominates 146 Candidates for Maharashtra Assembly Elections Amid Party Member Defections
Mumbai, 2nd November 2024: In the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP has nominated 146 candidates for the 288 available seats, leading several party members who were not allocated their preferred constituencies to switch to the Mahayuti alliance partners, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar).
A total of 16 BJP leaders have left the party to secure tickets with either the Shinde faction of Shiv Sena or Ajit Pawar’s NCP, with 12 joining the Shinde Sena and four aligning with the NCP.
Notable nominations include Nilesh Rane, son of former Union Minister Narayan Rane, who will contest from the Kudal-Malvan constituency on a Shiv Sena ticket. Sanjana Jadhav, daughter of BJP leader Raosaheb Danve, has been nominated for the Kannad Assembly seat by the Shiv Sena. Former BJP member Rajendra Gavit will also represent Shiv Sena from Palghar, while Vilas Tare, who previously held the Boisar seat from 2009 to 2019, is running again for that seat.
Santosh Shetty has recently joined Shiv Sena and will contest from Bhiwandi East, while senior BJP leader Murji Patel is running from Andheri East after switching to the Eknath Shinde faction. Ajit Pingle has received a nomination from the Shiv Sena for the Dharashiv constituency.
Former BJP MP Sujay Vikhe Patil, whose desired candidacy from Sangamner was redirected to the Shiv Sena due to the seat-sharing agreement, will now see Amol Khatal, a former BJP member, contest from that seat. Shaina NC, anticipated to run from Worli, will instead contest from Mumbadevi after joining the Shinde faction.
Digvijay Bagal, who joined the BJP six months ago, has now become the Shiv Sena candidate for Karmala. Other former BJP members, including Vitthal Langhe and Baliram Shirsagar, are also running under the Shiv Sena banner.
Additionally, former minister Rajkumar Badole, along with ex-MPs Pratap Patil Chikhalikar, Sanjaykaka Patil, and Nishikant Patil, have been nominated by the Ajit Pawar faction.
According to the Mahayuti seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP has secured 148 seats, while Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena will field candidates in 80 constituencies, and the NCP has been allotted 53 seats. Five of the remaining seven seats are designated for allies, with two still pending agreement. Voting will take place in a single phase on November 20, with vote counting scheduled for November 23.
