Congress Unveils First List of Candidates for Maharashtra Assembly Elections
In a significant move ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections scheduled for November 20, the Congress party has announced its first list of 48 candidates. This announcement, made on Thursday, sets the stage for a competitive electoral battle in the state, with key figures like state unit chief Nana Patole, former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar among those vying for seats. The elections will be held in a single phase, with vote counting set for November 23.
Vijay Wadettiwar expressed confidence in the party’s prospects, stating, “The problem of seat sharing has been resolved…We are going to contest the elections based on merit…In Maharashtra, today, after seat sharing, we are confident that we will cross 200 (seats)…This ‘choryuti’ (Mahayuti) has ruined the state. We will dethrone them…The public has also made up their minds to dethrone them.” His remarks reflect the party’s determination to reclaim power in a state that has seen significant political shifts in recent years.
Among the candidates listed, former MLAs Gopaldas Agarwal and Sunil Deshmukh have made headlines for their return to the Congress fold after a stint with the BJP. They will contest from Gondia and Amravati, respectively, highlighting the party’s strategy to leverage experienced politicians in key constituencies.
The Congress’s candidate announcement comes on the heels of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction). Each party in the alliance is expected to contest around 85 seats, although negotiations are still underway to finalize the distribution of the remaining 33 seats among themselves and smaller parties.
As the political landscape heats up, the two primary alliances in Maharashtra—the Mahayuti and the MVA—are finalizing their seat-sharing arrangements. While the BJP-led Mahayuti is anticipated to contest approximately 155 seats, the Congress is projected to field candidates in around 105-110 seats. Within the Mahayuti, the Shiv Sena is expected to contest about 85 seats, while the NCP will take on around 45. In the MVA, the Shiv Sena (UBT) could contest approximately 90-95 seats, with the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) aiming for around 85.
With the elections just weeks away, the political atmosphere in Maharashtra is charged with anticipation. The Congress party’s strategic candidate selection and the ongoing negotiations within the MVA could play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the elections. As voters prepare to head to the polls, all eyes will be on how these alliances and candidates perform in what promises to be a closely watched electoral contest.
