MNS announces first list of 27 candidates

Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Tuesday announced its first list of 27 candidates for the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly elections.

The list did not name a candidate from Worli in Mumbai, from where Shiv Sena youth wing leader Aaditya Thackeray -- son of Raj's cousin Uddhav Thackeray -- will be making his electoral debut.

The MNS fielded Kishor Shinde from Kothrud seat in Pune city, against state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.

In Mumbai, the MNS fielded Sandeep Deshpande from Mahim, Karna Bala Dunbale from Chembur, Sanjay Turde from Kalina, Virendra Jadhav from Goregaon, Sandeep Desai from Versova, Ganesh Chukkal from Ghatkopar West, Akhil Chitre from Bandra (West), Arun Surve from Dindoshi and Rajesh Yerunkar from Dahisar.

The MNS had not contested the Lok Sabha elections earlier this year.

Raj Thackeray held several rallies appealing people not to vote for the Narendra Modi-led BJP, but despite drawing crowds, he failed to make a dent in the BJP-Shiv Sena vote in the state.