Maha LS poll: 114 candidates file nominations for third phase

As many as 114 candidates have filed nomination papers till now, including 42 on Tuesday, for the third phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Among the prominent candidates who filed nominations Tuesday included Maharashtra BJP chief Raosaheb Danve (Jalna), state minister Girish Bapat (Pune) as well as Udayanraje Bhosale (Satara) and Sangram Jagtap (Ahmednagar) of the NCP.

Danve was accompanied by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan and NCP's Ajit Pawar flanked Bhosale.

Besides these four constituencies, nine other seats, comprising Sangli, Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Jalgaon, Raver, Aurangabad, Raigad, Baramati, Madha, Kolhapur and Hatkanangle will go to polls in the third phase on April 23.

The last date for filing nominations for the third phase is April 4, while scrutiny of nominations will be held a day later. The last date for withdrawal of candidature is April 8.

In the first phase, polling will be held across seven seats on April 11.

The first phase has 116 candidates in the fray from Bhandara-Gondia, Gadchiroli-Chimur, Yavatmal-Washim, Wardha, Chandrapur, Nagpur and Ramtek seats.

For the second phase on April 18, 179 candidates will contest from 10 Lok Sabha seats.