Maha polls: Fadnavis, Shinde, Ajit Pawar file nominations

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

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

He was accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra minister and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.

Fadnavis, being challenged by Congress's Ashish Deshmukh from the seat, exuded confidence that the Mahayuti (mega alliance) of the BJP, Shiv Sena, RPI(A) and other allies will register "unprecedented victory".

"I am sure the blessings are with us. I will register 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 flanked by former Union minister Hansraj Ahir while submitting nomination form.

Housing Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and former Maharashtra minister Ganesh Naik, who joined the BJP in the recent past, filed nominations from Shirdi and Airoli seats, respectively.

Shiv Sena leader from Thane and state minister Shinde filed nomination from the Kopri Pachpakhadi Assembly segment of the district.

Pawar filed nomination from the Baramati segment he currently represents in the assembly. The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister is pitted against BJP's Gopichand Padalkar in Baramati in Pune district.

"I do not have doubt I will get huge response from the people in Baramati. On the day of result, Maharashtra will see the huge faith people in Baramati will repose 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 flanked by his father, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, on the occasion.

The last date of filing nomination papers is October 4, while the date for their scrutiny is October 5. Nominations can be withdrawn till October 7.

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