Shiv Sena (UBT) LS polls list on Mar 26 to contain around 16 names: Raut

The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s first list of candidates in Maharashtra for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections will be formally declared on March 26, party leader Sanjay Raut said on Monday.

The list of the Uddhav Thackeray-led opposition party, a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in the state, will contain up to 16 names, he said.

"The Shiv Sena (UBT)'s (first) list will be declared tomorrow (March 26). We will declare candidates for 15-16 seats tomorrow," the Rajya Sabha MP told reporters here.

So far, Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has given indications that Amol Kiritkar (Mumbai North-West), Chandrahar Patil (Sangli) and Anant Gete (Raigad) will be party candidates from these three Lok Sabha seats. Another MVA constituent, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) is yet to officially declare its candidates in the state for the April-May Lok Sabha polls.

On the other hand, the Congress, which is also a part of the state-level grouping of the opposition parties, has declared its candidates on some seats where there is no tussle with its alliance partners.

The MVA constituents, who are also members of the INDIA bloc, have yet to finalize their seat-sharing arrangement. Maharashtra, which has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second highest after Uttar Pradesh (80), will vote in five phases starting from April 19.

As the last date for filing nominations is March 27 for the five seats going to the polls in the first phase on April 19, it becomes necessary for parties who have not named nominees for these constituencies to do so by Tuesday.