Maharashtra Poll Campaign Ends, Stage Set For Mahayuti Vs MVA On Nov 20

Last Updated:November 18, 2024, 17:29 IST

With the political landscape more fragmented than ever before, this assembly election will be the biggest test of the splits in two major regional parties – Shiv Sena and NCP – in the last two years

Both Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi have promised new industrial projects and filling up of vacancies in state government to provide employment. (Image: PTI/File)

Top leaders of the six major parties in Maharashtra ended the campaigning for the high-stakes assembly election on Monday. The highlight of the day: the Pawar versus Pawar poll rally in Baramati, which will be the most anticipated battle as the state votes on November 20.

With the political landscape more fragmented than ever before, this election will be the biggest test of the splits in two major regional parties – Shiv Sena and NCP – in the last two years.

WHICH ARE THE KEY CONTESTS?

A total of 4,136 candidates are in the fray for the assembly elections for the 288-seat Maharashtra legislative assembly.

In the ruling Mahayuti, the BJP has fielded 149 candidates, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded 81 candidates, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has fielded 59. In the MVA, the Congress has fielded 101 candidates, Shiv Sena (UBT) 95 and NCP (SP) 86.

Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) v Praful Vinodrao Gudadhe (Congress) in Nagpur South West: Fadnavis became the youngest mayor of Nagpur in 1997, and has won continuously from this constituency in the assembly election for five terms since 1999. They now want to see him as the CM or the BJP chief. He will take on Praful Gudadhe of the Congress, who is hoping anti-incumbency will help him win.

Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena) v Kedar Dighe (Sena UBT) in Kopri-Pachpakhadi: Pitted against his mentor, the late Anand Dighe’s nephew Kedar Dighe, Shinde is confident of retaining his bastion in Thane. He was first elected as an MLA from Thane in 2004 and, after the Kopri-Pachpakhadi assembly seat was made, he won three consecutive terms in 2009, 2014 and 2019.

Ajit Pawar (NCP) v Yugendra Pawar (NCP Sharad Pawar) in Baramati: After the Supriya Sule versus Sunetra Pawar during the Lok Sabha election, Baramati is set to witness another Pawar family battle. Ajit Pawar, the loyal face of Baramati and deputy CM, will take on his nephew Yugendra Pawar, the son of his younger brother Shrinivas aka Bapu, who has the support of Pawar senior. While Ajit Pawar remains confident of retaining the bastion, Sule is throwing her weight behind Yugendra to ensure another win for Pawar senior.

Aaditya Thackeray (Sena UBT) v Milind Deora (Shiv Sena) in Worli: In 2019, Aaditya Thackeray became the first from his family to venture into electoral politics by contesting from the seat in Mumbai. While the win then against NCP-supported Suresh Mane was easy, this time he will face Milind Deora of the Shinde Sena. While Aaditya is confident Deora, a former Congress leader and Union minister, is being called a “sacrificial lamb" of sorts. Also in the fray is MNS leader Sandeep Deshpande.

Zeeshan Siddique (NCP) v Varun Sardesai (Sena UBT) in Bandra East: Sardesai, the nephew of Uddhav Thackeray, is taking on Zeeshan Siddique, who is riding on a sympathy wave after the murder of his father and NCP leader Baba Siddique. Throughout his campaign in the Muslim-dominated seat, he has sought justice for his father. The seat, which houses the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC), is especially important for the Thackerays as it houses Matoshree. The MNS has pitched former Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Trupti Sawant, while Kunal Sarmalkar from Shinde Sena is contesting as an independent.

News elections Maharashtra Poll Campaign Ends, Stage Set For Mahayuti Vs MVA On Nov 20