Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: NCP releases first list of 38 candidates, Ajit Pawar to contest from Baramati

Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday released the first list of 38 candidates for the upcoming state assembly polls. Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar will contest from Baramati, whereas senior NCP leader Chaggan Singh Bhujbal will fight the elections from the Yeola seat.

The list features names of other senior party members, including Dilip Walse Patil, who is contesting elections from Ambegaon, and Hasan Mushrif, who is from Kagal.

Former Congress MLAs named on NCP list for Maharashtra polls

Former Congress MLAs who joined the NCP recently were also named in the list, including a ticket to Hiraman Khoskar from Igatpuri and Shulbha Khodke from Amravati. Both of them are former Congress MLAs who joined the NCP (Ajit Pawar) recently. Khodke was expelled from the Congress on October 12. Khoskar joined the party on the night of October 14.

Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena also released its first list for state assembly elections, which included 45 candidates. CM Shinde will contest the election from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency.

Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction's list for Maharashtra polls

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction's list also included names of Manisha Ravindra Waykar from Jogeshwari (East), Suhas Dwarkanath Kande from Nandgao, Pradip Shivnarayan Jaiswal from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Balaji Devidasrao Kalyankar from Nanded North.

While giving an update about his party's first list, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde exuded confidence in the Mahayuti alliance's chances of winning the Maharashtra Assembly Elections. “This is the first list (of candidates for Maharashtra assembly elections), next 2nd list will come, we will then contest the elections, then Mahayuti will win with a big majority,” he said.

Shiv Sena and NCP alliance partner in Mahayuti, the Bharatiya Janata Party, has also released its first list of 99 candidates. The BJP's list for Maharashtra assembly elections includes Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who will contest from Nagpur South West. BJP state president Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule will contest the election from Kamthi seat.

Maharashtra assembly elections will be held on November 20, 2024, in 288 state constituencies. The results will be announced on November 23, 2024.