Page 23 - Maharashtra Assembly Elections

BJP Beed chief slams saffron party for ignoring him, joins NCP (SP)

BJP's Beed district president Rajendra Mhaske has resigned and joined the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), alleging that the saffron party did not nominate him for the Maharashtra assembly polls despite working hard for its growth. Mhaske, who quit the ruling BJP on Sunday, joined Sharad Pawar's outfit on Wednesday. The BJP has announced the names of 99 candidates so far for the November 20 elections. I was BJP's Beed district president for the past five to six years. I had worked hard for the party's growth, Mhaske told PTI on Thursday. Ever since Ajit Pawar's NCP became a part of the ruling Mahayuti coalition, the BJP has stopped paying attention to the Beed district, alleged Mhaske. He claimed that BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule had earlier hinted that the party would give him a ticket from the Beed assembly segment for the assembly polls. Instead, the BJP has given the entire district to NCP. Therefore, I have quit the BJP and joined NCP (SP), he added. Sandeep Kshirsa

Maharashtra polls: Seat exchange likely among MVA allies, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday indicated the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies could swap some seats among themselves, a day after the opposition bloc in Maharashtra announced a formula of 85 seats to each of the three major parties. Raut also said there could be "some corrections" in the list of candidates announced by his party on Wednesday. After days of stalemate, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), on Wednesday announced contesting 85 seats each for polls to the 288-member state assembly even as deliberations to seal a final pact were still underway. The three allies were discussing the sharing of the remaining 33 seats among themselves and smaller parties. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday released its first list of 65 candidates for the state assembly polls. "There can be an exchange of seats," Raut on Thursday said, stressing merit and winnability will be the key factors in selecting a candidate. "Ther

Kejriwal likely to campaign for INDIA bloc in Maharashtra, Jharkhand polls

Arvind Kejriwal is likely to campaign on assembly seats where AAP has a volunteer base and where the MVA candidates don't have a controversial background

Sena (UBT) contestants spread awareness about new symbol in poll campaign

With the Shiv Sena (UBT) contesting the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls on a new symbol after split, its three MLAs in Marathwada are making every effort to popularise it and also raising farmers issues as part of their campaign. In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the then undivided Shiv Sena bagged 12 seats in the Marathwada region. After the party split in June 2022, three MLAs - Udaysingh Rajput (Kannad), Kailas Patil (Dharashiv-Kalamb) and Dr Rahul Patil (Parbhani) - remained with the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) and have been fielded for the upcoming assembly polls. The Shiv Sena suffered a split in June 2022 when a section of MLAs, led by Eknath Shinde, revolted against Thackeray, the then-chief minister. The Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) was later allotted the 'mashaal' (flaming torch) symbol, while the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde retained the original 'bow and arrow' symbol. Talking to PTI, Rajput said Thackeray's image is good in the minds of the people

MVA ally PWP sees red as Sena (UBT) declares candidates for Assembly polls

The Peasants and Workers Party (PWP), a smaller constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi in Maharashtra, expressed unhappiness on Wednesday as the Shiv Sena (UBT) announced candidates from Uran, Sangola and Loha assembly seats. The PWP led by Jayant Patil had staked claim to these three constituencies. "We will talk to (NCP-SP chief) Sharad Pawar about this," Patil told PTI. He also visited Sangola during the day, he said. The PWP has sought a total of six seats from the MVA: Panvel, Uran, Pen, Alibaug, Sangola and Loha. The Sena (UBT) fielded Eknath Pawar from Loha, Deepak Salunkhe Patil from Sangola and Manohar Bhoir from Uran. The Loha seat is currently represented by a PWP MLA. During the Lok Sabha elections, MVA candidates won in many seats by small margins due to the help of the smaller allies, Patil said. Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra president Abu Azmi, another ally, also said he has not received any further communication about the seat-sharing talks. After days of ...

Maharashtra polls: NCP's first list out, Ajit Pawar to fight from Baramati

The Nationalist Congress Party has renominated 26 sitting MLAs, including leaders who had sided with Ajit Pawar during his rebellion against his uncle Sharad Pawar, which resulted in a split in the pa

Almost 99% work on MVA's seat-sharing completed, says Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Wednesday said 99 per cent of work on the Maha Vikas Aghadi's seat-sharing arrangement has been completed and leaders of the three alliance parties are expected to announce the formula later in the day. Talking to reporters, Raut also indicated his party could contest 100 seats. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are scheduled on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. Top leaders of the opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance met here late Tuesday night with indications that the seat-sharing arrangement for the assembly elections has been finalised. The MVA comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP). After the talks, especially those between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, hit a roadblock, senior state Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat first met NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Tuesday and then Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Later, Thorat and other leaders of the MVA again sat together

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

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

Maharashtra polls: MVA seat-sharing stalemate resolved, announcement today

Top leaders of the Opposition's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance met here late Tuesday night with indications that the seat-sharing arrangement for the November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections has been finalised. The announcement was likely to be made on Wednesday with Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut stating that a press conference would be held. There was no confirmation from any of the MVA leaders of media reports that the Congress will contest 105, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95 and NCP (SP) 84 of the 288 assembly seats. The remaining seats would be given to smaller parties in the alliance. After the talks, especially those between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress, hit a roadblock, senior state Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat first met NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and then Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. Later, Thorat and other leaders of the MVA again sat together for a meeting that lasted for over five hours at a luxury hotel here. Thorat said AICC's Maharashtra ...

Maharashtra polls: After BJP's 1st list, aspirants rush to meet Fadnavis

Several BJP MLAs and ticket aspirants on Monday rushed to Mumbai to meet Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis after the party released its first list of 99 candidates a day earlier for the November 20 assembly polls. These include MLA Devayani Pharande from Nashik Central assembly seat amid speculation that she may be replaced. The BJP has five MLAs in Nashik district, four of whom figured in the first list. Pharande reached Mumbai with some ex-corporators and supporters to boost chances of her candidature, party sources said. "Sitting MLAs may be thinking they will not be renominated in case their names don't figure in the first list. It is not like that. The party is taking stock of the situation. An in-house analysis is underway. Based on it, the party will announce its next list," state minister and senior BJP leader Girish Mahajan said. Among the MLAs whose names don't figure in the first list released on Sunday are Bharti Lavhekar from Varsova, Sunil Rane from

Congress' CEC meets to finalise candidates for Maharashtra elections

The Congress' Central Election Committee met here on Monday to finalise candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary (In-charge, Organisation) K C Venugopal, among others, attended the meeting at the AICC headquarters. The CEC meeting for Maharashtra was to take place Sunday evening but was postponed with party leaders citing various reasons including Karwa Chauth and holding of meeting for Jharkhand polls as well on the same day. Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said the Maha Vikas Aghadi -- comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) -- has reached consensus on 210 of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, which is a "significant achievement". The aim is to ensure the defeat of forces looting Maharashtra, he said in a swipe at the ruling alliance comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, the BJP a

Bid to include bogus voters in Maha seats to be contested by BJP: Shiv Sena

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, the opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on Monday alleged there were attempts to include bogus names in the voters' lists across 150 assembly constituencies which it claimed the BJP was planning to contest. An editorial in 'Saamana', the mouthpiece of the Sena (UBT) led by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, also claimed such "tampering" was being resorted to as the BJP fears a defeat in the state polls. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly are scheduled on November 20, and vote counting will be held on November 23. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) along with the Congress and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP). "The BJP has resorted to such unethical measures to tamper with the electoral roll due to the fear of losing the state. There are some 150 assembly constituencies that the BJP is planning to contest in this election. The party has scrutinised the voting patterns in the past and identified so

BJP 'biggest enemy' of farmers, Maharashtra demands maha parivartan: Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday claimed that the BJP is the "biggest enemy" of Maharashtra's farmers and asserted that the state has decided that farmers will benefit only by removing the double engine government from power. In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge slammed the BJP over farmer suicides in Maharashtra and said the promise of making the state drought-free is a "jumla" (rhetoric). "BJP is the biggest enemy of Maharashtra's farmers. 20,000 farmers committed suicide. Huge cut in funding in farming. Promise of Rs 20,000 crore water grid turned out to be false. Promise of making Maharashtra drought-free is a 'Jumla'," he said. Kharge also attacked the BJP over its "refusal to give compensation to the farmers" while insurance companies are being showered with Rs 8000 crore. He hit out at the BJP over the export ban and high export duty burden on onion and soybean farmers and the huge drop in cotton and sugarcane production, putting farmers in distress. Kharge claime

Allies meet Sharad Pawar as seat-sharing consensus for polls eludes MVA

Amid a stalemate in the Maha Vikas Aghadi over the sharing of seats for the Maharashtra assembly polls, allies Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have met NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and held deliberations. MVA sources on Sunday said a seat-sharing deal is likely to be sealed in a day or two after arriving at consensus. Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20. The process to file nominations will start on October 22. The differences among MVA allies over certain seats had escalated into a war of words between state Congress chief Nana Patole and Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut, prompting Uddhav Thackeray to appeal to parties not to stretch matters to a breaking point. Sharad Pawar on Sunday stayed put at the YB Chavan Centre in Mumbai where Congress leader Naseem Khan, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Aaditya Thackeray, Sanjay Raut, Anil Parab, and NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh called on him. Senior Congress leaders from Maharashtra were in Delhi to attend the

Discussion regarding MVA underway: Vinayak Raut on Maharashtra polls

He further said that Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party held a meeting on Sunday

Critics frown at freebies by Mahayuti but states' finances remain robust

Mahayuti govt faces scrutiny as schemes like Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana strain fiscal resources amid rising unemployment and prices of food items

Highlights: BJP releases first list for Maharashtra polls; fields Fadnavis from Nagpur South West

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After helping BJP win Haryana, RSS 'tolis' shaping opinion in Maharashtra

With the assembly polls in Maharashtra just a month away, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has launched an extensive outreach programme to shape public opinion in favour of the BJP-led alliance in the state. The RSS, which is the ideological fountainhead of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has started the move in coordination with all of its affiliates, sources said. "Tolis (teams) have been formed across the state and they have started reaching out to people in their respective localities taking the message," a source told PTI. Each team is holding small group meetings with 5-10 people and also reaching out to families through their local network in 'mohallas' in their respective localities, the source said. "In these meetings, they do not explicitly endorse the BJP but shape the people's opinion through intimate discussions around topics of national interest, Hindutva, good governance, development, public welfare and various local issues concerning the society," the source

Poll schedule BJP's ploy to limit MVA's time for govt formation: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday alleged that the Election Commission's Maharashtra poll schedule, which gives only 48 hours for government formation, is the BJP's ploy to ensure the MVA is unable to stake a claim. The current assembly's term ends on November 26. The state will go to polls on November 20, and the votes will be counted on November 23. Speaking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP alleged, "The BJP with Amit Shah seems to have accepted that the party would not win the Maharashtra assembly polls. There appears to be a strategy to limit the time available for the Maha Vikas Aghadi to discuss and decide about government formation. If the MVA constituents fail to stake a claim, the governor will recommend the President's Rule for six months." He claimed the BJP was taking proactive steps to keep the MVA from returning to power. "Additionally, the ECI has scheduled the polls in such a way that it restricts the MVA's opportunity to form a government effectively," h

Need to introspect if political fragmentation affects welfare: Narayan Rane

Ahead of the Maharashtra assembly polls, former chief minister Narayan Rane has said the need of the hour is to introspect if the fragmented political scenario in the state is conducive to people's welfare and their interests. The repeated change in ideology and even constituency impacts the state's economy and the fiscal deficit is growing, BJP leader Rane told PTI here on Saturday while coming down heavily on Shiv Sena (UBT) head and former CM Uddhav Thackeray. Rane feels the ruling Mahayuti (comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar's NCP) has an edge in the assembly polls, scheduled on November 20, due to BJP's strong leadership at the Centre. But at the same time, he also said, "We (everyone) need to introspect whether political fragmentation impacts people's welfare and interests." Notably, the Shiv Sena split after a rebellion led by Eknath Shinde in June 2022. Shinde then joined hands with the BJP to form government. The NCP founded b