5,534 candidates file nominations for Maharashtra elections

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Shiv Sena's Eknath Shinde and NCP leader Ajit Pawar were among 3,754 candidates who filed nominations for the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls on Friday, the last day for submiting the papers.

In all, 5,534 candidates have filed nominations across Maharashtra for the election.

According to the Election Commission, highest number of candidates -- 135 -- filed nominations in Bhokar Assembly seat in Nanded district.

The least number of nominations, a mere four each, were received in Mumbai's Mahim and Sewri constituencies.

Fadnavis, the first BJP chief minister of the state, filed his papers from Nagpur South-West.

He was accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra minister and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil as he filed the nomination.

Fadnavis, facing Congress's Ashish Deshmukh from the seat, expressed confidence that the Mahayuti (mega alliance) of the BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI(A) and others will register an "unprecedented victory".

"I will register a record victory. We will win all the 12 seats in Nagpur. Our alliance will register unprecedented victory in Vidarbha and Maharashtra," he said.

Finance Minister and BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar will contest from Ballarpur in Chandrapur district. He was accompanied by former Union minister Hansraj Ahir as he submitted the nomination form.

Housing Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and former Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik, both of whom joined the BJP recently, filed nominations from Shirdi and Airoli, respectively.

Eknath Shinde, Shiv Sena leader and state minister, filed nomination from Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat in Thane city.

NCP leader Ajit Pawar filed nomination from Baramati where he is seeking re-election. The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister is pitted against the BJP's Gopichand Padalkar.

"I do not have any doubt that I will get huge response from the people in Baramati. On the day of result, Maharashtra will see the huge faith people in Baramati have in me," Pawar told reporters.

Senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal filed nomination from the Yeola Assembly constituency in Nashik district.

BJP candidate from Kankavli constituency, Nitesh Rane, too submitted his nomination papers. He was accompanied by his father, former chief minister Narayan Rane.

Scrutiny of nominations will be carried out on October 5. Nominations can be withdrawn till October 7.

The results of the election to the 288-seat Assembly will be out on October 24.