The Maharashtra assembly elections have begun and the Election Commission of India has announced the polling dates. The opposition party Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling party Mahayutthi Alliance are currently finalizing their candidate lists.
Sharing the latest news on finalization of seats, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the list has been finalized and will reach the party high command within a few hours.
Patole said that they (MVA) have jointly decided on 260 seats out of 288 seats. “There are some seats left. So we decided to send it to the high command,” Patole added while talking to the media.
The MVA consists of Congress, NCP(SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT). Mahayuti, on the other hand, consists of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar).
Meanwhile, the state Congress president added that they will hold an important meeting with Chief Electoral Officer S Chockalingam on Friday.
Patole said they found certain problems in Maharashtra. “Those who are our supporters, their names are being removed from the electoral roll…The BJP is abusing its power. We have alerted the party workers. We will lodge a complaint with S Chockalingam.
On Wednesday, Patole said the Congress candidate screening panel has finalized the list of 62 seats for consideration by the party’s Central Election Committee, which will meet on October 20.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party held a Central Election Committee meeting in the national capital to discuss the party’s candidates.
According to ANI, discussions were held in over 100 seats.
ANI quoted sources as saying that the party will decide to participate after holding seat-sharing talks with Mahayuthi’s alliance partners, including Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Eknath The list of remaining candidates for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bhavankule said Mahayut leader Shinde and deputy chief ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawan Val has decided about 90% of the seats. “There is no numbers game in Mahayutti. It is about the electoral merit of the candidate,” he added.
Elections to the state’s 288-member assembly will be held in phases on November 20.