Maharashtra Election 2024: BJP fighting 152 seats, Congress 102, no clarity on few as nominations end

Maharashtra Elections 2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded candidates on 152 seats – the highest among political parties in fray for the November 20 assembly elections for 288-member assembly in Maharashtra. The Congress party is contesting on 102 seats as the filing of nominations ended on Tuesday, October 29.

In the ruling Mahayuti camp, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has fielded candidates on 80 seats, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's NCP has nominated 52 contestants for upcoming assembly polls. Five seats have been given to other Mahayuti allies while no decision was taken on two segments.

The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar faction), is fighting against the ruling Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP's Mahayutialliancein the elections

In the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Congress is contesting on 102 seats followed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) on 96 and NCP (SP) on 87 seats. 

8,000 candidates in fray

The 2019 assembly election was held with undivided Shiv Sena and NCP.

Nearly 8,000 candidates, including those from major political parties in ruling as well as opposition camps, have filed their nominations for the 288 assembly seats.

As many as 7,995 candidates have filed 10,905 nominations with the Election Commission (EC) for the November 20 polls, said a statement issued by the office of the state's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO).

In 2019, a total of 5,543 nominations were received by the EC throughout the state and 3,239 candidates finally contested the assembly polls that year.

The filing of nominations by candidates began on October 22 and the process ended on October 29. The verification and scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidatures is November 4 (till 3 pm).

Polling will take place on November 20 and votes will be counted three days later.

(With PTI inputs)