Maharashtra Assembly polls: Shiv Sena releases first list of 45 candidates

Shiv Sena has released its first list of 45 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls which are to be held on November 20.

According to the list, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will contest from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency.

Sada Sarvankar has been fielded from the Mahim seat against Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray.

Other candidates include Manisha Ravindra Waykar from Jogeshwari (East), Suhas Dwarkanath Kande from Nandgao, Pradip Shivnarayan Jaiswal from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (middle) and Balaji Devidasrao Kalyankar from Nanded North.

On October 18, after the recent announcement of the assembly election dates in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena convened a meeting with its office bearers on Friday.

In the meeting, there was a strong push for Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to be presented as the face for the chief ministerial position, a move that signals the party's strategy as it prepares for the upcoming elections.

Shiv Sena party leaders chanted slogans in support of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister, collectively asserting that the saffron flag should continue to wave proudly.

The meeting was convened by Shiv Sena leader and MP Shrikant Shinde. Senior Shiv Sena leaders Milind Deora, Ravindra Waikar, Manisha Kayande, Rahul Shewale and other leaders were present for the meeting.

This comes as Maharashtra prepares for a single-phase election on November 20, with counting set for November 23.

Both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations for the upcoming elections to 288 Assembly seats in the State. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63, and Congress won 42 seats.