Shiv Sena (UBT), part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra, will release its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections today. Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) can formally announce candidates for 16 seats in the state. Party leader Sanjay Raut had informed on Monday that we will announce candidates for 15-16 seats on Tuesday.
Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray has indicated that Amol Kiritkar (Mumbai North-West), Chandrahar Patil (Sangli) and Anant Gette (Raigad) will be the party’s candidates from the Lok Sabha seats. NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), who is part of the MVA, has not yet officially announced its candidates in the state for the Lok Sabha elections.
Congress, which is part of the alliance of opposition parties, has also announced its candidates for some seats in Maharashtra. It is being told that there is no complete consensus among the MVA allies in Maharashtra regarding seat sharing, due to which the announcement of the candidates is getting delayed.
There are 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra. Congress has so far announced candidates only for those five seats where voting is to be held in the first phase on April 19. These include Nagpur, Chandrapur, Ramtek (SC), Bhandara-Gondia and Gadchiroli-Chimur Lok Sabha constituencies.
Congress fields Vikas Thackeray from Nagpur
Congress has fielded sitting MLA Vikas Thackeray against Union Minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur seat. Rashmi Barve from Ramtek, Prashant Padole from Bhandara-Gondia and Namdev Kirsan from Gadchiroli-Chimur have been fielded. Congress has expressed confidence in local MLA Pratibha Dhanorkar from Chandrapur seat. This time BJP has fielded Minister of State Sudhir Mungantiwar from Chandrapur.