Maha polls: Filing of nomination ends

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Home Minister R R Patil were two of the prominent leaders, who filed their papers on the last day of filing of nominations today for the October 15 Maharashtra Assembly polls, which will witness five-cornered contests in all the 288 constituencies.
Even as the nomination process came to a close today, the total number of nominations received could not be confirmed till late night.
The scrutiny will take place on September 29 and last date of withdrawing the nominations is September 30.
Prithviraj Chavan, who resigned as Chief Minister after NCP pulled out of the government, filed nomination from Karad South amidst rousing welcome from supporters.

Addressing supporters, Chavan said, "I am grateful to the people of Karad for their support. I am truly overwhelmed to see the crowd come out in such large numbers."
"I will continue to work for my people in Karad and ensure that right kind of opportunities are available for them, be it in jobs, education, infrastructure as well as basic amenities," he added.

This will be Chavan's first electoral battle after he lost the 1999 Lok Sabha elections from Karad, which he represented thrice.
Former Chief Minister and Congress campaign committee chief Narayan Rane filed his papers from Kudal in Sindhudurg district.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray, who had declared at a rally a few months ago that he would enter the electoral battle by contesting the polls, will not contest the polls.
While Congress has fielded candidates for all the 288 seats, NCP has fielded 286 candidates.
Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, whose name was being pitched by his party as the Chief Ministerial candidate, is also not contesting.
Shiv Sena declared a list of 286 candidates, party spokesperson said.
The two constituencies where Sena has not fielded candidates are Parli where Gopinath Munde's daughter Pankaja is BJP nominee and Byculla where Arun Gawli's daughter Geeta is nominee.

BJP has fielded candidates in 257 seats, state party spokesperson Keshav Upadhye said.
"The remaining 31 seats have been given to our allies," he said.