Maharashtra went to polls on November 20 to elect representatives for its 288 seats, with spotlights on sons, daughters, nephews, and cousins of some prominent political dynasties vying for power
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Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday asked if the call for "dharma-yudh of votes" given by Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis does not violate the Model Code of Conduct of the Election Commission of India. Addressing a campaign rally in Dombivli in the district ahead of the assembly polls, Thackeray said he was asked to remove the words "Jai Bhavani, Jai Shivaji" from his party's election anthem before the Lok Sabha elections, but he refused to do so. "Devendra Fadnavis has given a call for "dharma-yudh of votes. I am asking the Election Commission, does dharma-yudh fit in with your Model Code of Conduct?" the former chief minister said. Referring to a purported appeal by an Islamic scholar for a "vote-Jihad" against the Mahayuti government, Fadnavis, at a rally in Pune on Friday, had called for a "dharma-yudh of votes" to counter it. Thackeray, meanwhile, also said that the BJP today is a "hybrid" full of opportunist leaders imported from outside. "
The Shiv Sena (UBT) has made a strong pitch against dynasty politics in Sindhudurg, the home turf of BJP MP Narayan Rane, to target his sons Nilesh and Nitesh, who are fighting the assembly polls from two constituencies in the coastal district. Once a stronghold of undivided Shiv Sena, the Uddhav Thackeray-led party is seeking to regain its control over the south Konkan region after two of its MLAs and ministers Deepak Kesarkar and Uday Samant aligned with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde during his rebellion in 2022. The Sena (UBT) also lost the Sindhudurg-Ratnagiri seat in the Lok Sabha polls to Narayan Rane. Sindhudurg district adjoining Goa and Karnataka has three assembly seats - Sawantwadi, Kudal and Kankavli. Nitesh is contesting as a Shiv Sena candidate from Kudal, while Nitesh is a BJP nominee from neighbouring Kankavli. Addressing a rally in Malvan on Wednesday, Thackeray said that although Prime Minister Narendra Modi talks about dynasty politics, his party has indulged in ..
Nadda said that Modi government has prioritized social and financial inclusivity in its growth model to empower the poor
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has said Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Thackeray was trying to divert the attention by needlessly protesting against the checking of his bags by poll officials and was "seeking votes by whining". What is wrong with checking of bags? the senior BJP leader wondered. Thackeray's frustration was showing, Fadnavis said on Tuesday while campaigning for the ruling Mahayuti's candidate Sulabha Ganpat Gaikwad in Kalyan East in Thane district ahead of the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls. "What is wrong with checking bags? We had our bags checked during campaigning, and there was no need for this level of frustration," the deputy CM said, adding that election officials followed the same procedures with his campaign team too. Lacking pressing topics, Thackeray is now "seeking votes by whining", he said. For the second consecutive day, Thackeray claimed his bags were inspected by election authorities on Tuesday after he arrived in Latur
The Congress hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday asking him as to why Maharashtra's Chakan industrial area is witnessing a a mass exodus of manufacturing units and why has the Centre "neglected" the state's sugar industry. Ahead of Modi's Pune visit, Congress General Secretary (In-charge, Communications) Jairam Ramesh posed three questions to the PM including why the BJP has ignored the Dhangar community's demand for ST status. "Pune's Chakan industrial area is currently witnessing a mass exodus of manufacturing units due to problems caused by poor road infrastructure. Despite ongoing roadwork, basic issues of traffic congestion and potholes continue to plague the area," Ramesh said in his post on X. This has not only caused frequent traffic jams but also a worrying increase in the number of accidents, and the absence of traffic police at important junctions has only exacerbated the problem, the Congress leader said. This has led to disruptions in production schedul
Amid parties accusing rivals of promoting dynastic politics, the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls will see brothers, cousins and father-children in the fray, with members of the same family taking on each other in some seats. In one constituency, the battle is between husband and wife, while another seat has an uncle and nephew pitted against each other. In the high stakes battle of Pawars, debutant Yugendra Pawar, the candidate of the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), will take on his uncle and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, representing the NCP, in Baramati seat. Ajit Pawar has won the Baramati assembly poll seven times and also once bagged the Baramati parliamentary seat. This is the second time that Baramati, the bastion of Pawars, will see a contest within the family. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the deputy CM's wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by his cousin and NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule in the Baramati parliamentary seat. In the neighbouring Karjat-Jamkhed, Rohit Pawar,
With the Mahayuti and MVA alliances locked in a fierce electoral contest and various narratives being set up by parties, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Saturday said the forthcoming elections are crucial for Mumbai and Maharashtra. Addressing a poll rally at Sewri in Mumbai, Thackeray accused the BJP of taking big-ticket investments to Gujarat and "crushing the dreams" of Maharashtra's youths. "This poll will be the most important poll of our life. This poll is not (about) getting back our symbol and the party or for Uddhav Thackeray or me. This poll is important for Maharashtra and Mumbai," he said. Thackeray said the Dharavi Redevelopment Project will have an impact all over Mumbai. He said when Shiv Sena took charge of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in 1997, it had a Rs 600 crore deficit. But the civic body is in Rs 92,000 crore surplus now, he added. Thackeray alleged the state government wanted to hand over prime coastal land of Koliwadas (fishing villag
Shiv Sena (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray on Thursday unveiled his party's manifesto for the Maharashtra assembly polls, assuring free education for male students, stabilising prices of essential items and scrapping of the Dharavi redevelopment project. Thackeray said most of the poll promises are part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) overall assurances, but there are some points which need special attention. The MVA, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), will also launch its manifesto for the November 20 state assembly polls, he said. Thackeray assured that the way female students in the state were getting free education under a government policy, it will be implemented for male students as well if the MVA comes to power. The MVA will also keep stable the prices of essential commodities, he said. On the Dharavi redevelopment project, the former chief minister said it will be scrapped as the project will have ramifications on Mumbai. Maharas
It said it would waive farm loans of up to Rs 300,000, and provide Rs 50,000 as financial assistance to farmers who have been regular in the repayment of loans
The Congress on Sunday hit out at the ruling Mahayuti coalition in Maharashtra, saying it has been formed on "betrayal" and that the people of the state will not forgive them for their "failed" promises. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh alleged that farmers were the most neglected in the state as the grand promises made to them have yielded nothing. He also highlighted how the promise of building a water grid from Marathwada to provide piped drinking water to every village was never fulfilled. "The Mahayuti is a Government formed on betrayal - of loyalty, of ideology, and of Maharashtra people themselves. Farmers have been among the most neglected, strung along by the Government with grand promises that have yielded nothing," Ramesh alleged in a post on X. "Those who promised Jalyukt Shivar have only delivered on Jalmukt Shivar. Maharashtra will not forgive them," the Congress leader said. In 2019, he claimed, then Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis promised a Rs
Sawant said that he would never insult a women adding that his statements were intrepreted differently.
Shinde said that Uddhav formed an alliance with Congress against the will of Balasaheb Thackeray
Veteran Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Wednesday claimed the 2022 split in the Shiv Sena, which triggered the fall of Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi government, had endorsement from the BJP's "senior leadership". Speaking to reporters in Satara, the former chief minister noted the November 20 assembly polls are taking place in the backdrop of what happened in June 2022, when a section of Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against the leadership of party president and then-CM Uddhav Thackeray. After the split in the Shiv Sena, Eknath Shinde, who led the rebellion, took over as chief minister. "These state elections are taking place in a particular political backdrop. The BJP's senior leadership had toppled the MVA government by engineering a split in the Shiv Sena. This entire move had a 'rajmanyata' (endorsement from top leadership ). "It was not done at Mumbai level by two or three people. There was meticulous planning as the BJP's entire machinery was after it. It was like a ...
Tuesday marked the last day of filing nominations for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, set to be held on November 20 across 288 seats. Aaditya Thackeray will contest from Worli to retain it
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday accused the ruling Mahayuti of using police machinery against the opposition's candidates in the Maharashtra assembly polls, and sought removal of state DGP Rashmi Shukla. Talking to reporters, Raut alleged that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is resorting to attacks on the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates, issuing threats to them and using police pressure to intimidate them as it fears that it would lose the state polls. On Monday, Sena (UBT) leader Advay Hire was attacked in Malegaon Outer constituency in Nashik, allegedly by the "goons" of Sena minister and candidate Dada Bhuse, he said. "Police have not taken any action against them so far. This is not restricted to Malegaon Outer alone. They (ruling Mahayuti) have used police machinery to carry out attacks," he said. Raut said this was precisely why the opposition demanded removal of IPS officer Rashmi Shukla as the state Director General of Police (DGP). "My appeal .
A day before the deadline for filing of nominations, NCP (SP) head Sharad Pawar on Monday said the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has reached a consensus over 90 to 95 per cent of the total 288 seats in the state. Speaking to reporters, Pawar, in a veiled attack on the BJP, said their fight was against those who engineered splits in rival political parties and those who compromised with their ideology. Those who are in power did not solve problems of the people, he claimed. The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23. The last date for filing of nomination papers is October 29. The MVA comprises the NCP (SP), Congress and Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). The Shiv Sena split in June 2022, causing the collapse of Thackeray's MVA government, while the Sharad Pawar-founded NCP broke into two factions after his nephew Ajit Pawar joined the ruling alliance in July 2023. "Those who are in power did not solve problems o
Bandra East MLA Zeeshan Siddique has criticised the decision of the Shiv Sena (UBT) to field a candidate in his constituency for the upcoming Maharashtra polls, saying staying together was never in their nature. The legislator has been suspended from Congress for cross-voting in the recent legislative council elections. Congress, Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP) are constituents of the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). Even though his father Baba Siddique, who was shot dead in Bandra earlier this month, had crossed over from Congress to the NCP earlier this year, Zeeshan is yet to make his political move clear. Heard old friends have announced their candidate from Bandra East. Staying together was never in their nature. Have a relationship with only those who give you respect, Zeeshan wrote on X. He added that people would now take a decision. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) on Wednesday evening released its first list of 65 candidates for the assembly elections, .
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