Maharashtra Assembly polls: BJP releases third list of 26 candidates

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday (October 28, 2024) announced its third list of candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections, scheduled for November 20.

This latest list includes 26 candidates, bringing the party closer to finalising its roster for the high-stakes elections.

The list includes four women candidates.

The party had earlier released its second list on Saturday (October 26, 2024), featuring 22 candidates, following an initial list of 99 candidates, including Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

With this latest release, the BJP has now named a total of 147 candidates for the elections, signaling its robust preparations and strategic moves to capture key constituencies across Maharashtra.

The recent list includes prominent names from various constituencies, as the saffron party looks to consolidate its presence in both urban and rural areas of the State.

The candidates in this list will be vying for seats in critical regions, including Nagpur, Chandrapur, and Latur, areas considered important for the party’s electoral ambitions.

The elections to the 288-member Assembly are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting scheduled three days later.

Approved by the party’s Central Election Committee, the list includes Harish Marotiappa Pimple from Murtijapur (SC), Sai Prakash Dahake from Karanja, Rajesh Shriram Wankhade from Teosa, Umesh (Chandu) Atmaramji Yawalakar from Morshi, Sumit Kishor Wankhede from Arvi, Charansing Babulaiji Thakur from Katol, Ashish Rajeet Deshmukh from Savner, Pravin Prabhakarrao Datke from Nagpur Central, Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohale from Nagpur West, and Dr.

Milind Pandurang Mane from Nagpur North (SC).

Further candidates announced include Dr.

Santuk Marotrao Hambarde from Nanded, Avinash Anandrao Brahmankar from Sakoli against State Congress president Nana Patole, Kishor Gajananrao Jorgewar from Chandrapur (SC), Raju Narayan Todsam from Arni (ST), Kishan Maruti Wankhede from Umarkhed (SC), Jitesh Raosaheb Antapurkar from Deglur (SC), and Vinod Suresh Medha from Dahanu (ST).

Sumit Wankhede, who has served as Devendra Fadnavis’s personal assistant for several years, is the candidate from the Arvi assembly constituency.

Interestingly, in 2019, the BJP had given a ticket to Fadnavis’s former PA, Abhimanyu Pawar, from the Ausa constituency, which Pawar went on to win.

Subsequently, Shreekant Bharatiya was appointed as an MLC by the party.

Additionally, the list features Sneha Premnath Dube from Vasai, Sanjay Upadhyay from Borivali, Dr.

Bharati Hemant Lavekar from Versova, Parag Kishorchandra Shah from Ghatkopar East, Suresh Ramchandra Dhas from Ashti, Dr.

Archana Shailesh Patil Chakurkar from Latur City, Ram Vitthal Satpute from Malshiras (SC), Manoj Bhimrao Ghorpade from Karad North, and Sangram Samparrao Deshmukh from Palus-Kadegaon, who would he contesting against Congress’s Vishwajeet Kadam.

With this third list, the BJP is edging closer to revealing its complete slate of candidates, while Maha Vikas Aghadi is also ramping up their preparations for a closely contested election.

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