The Shiv Sena has released its first list of 45 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, re-nominating sitting legislators and ministers who remained loyal to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde following his rebellion in June 2022.
The list, announced late Tuesday night, features Chief Minister Shinde contesting from Kapri-Pachpakhadi. Several of his ministerial colleagues have also been renominated, including Gulabrao Patil (Jalgaon Rural), Sanjay Rathod (Digras), Abdul Sattar (Sillod), and others.
Notably, Sandipan Bhamre’s son, Vilas Bhumre, will contest from the Paithan seat after Bhamre was elected to the Lok Sabha from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Additionally, Uday Samant’s brother, Kiran Sawant, will run from Rajapur, while Suhas Babar, the son of the late party legislator Anil Babar, will contest from Khanapur.
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Shiv Sena is currently in negotiations with its allies, the BJP and NCP, aiming for at least 80 seats. The announcement of the candidate list coincided with the start of the nomination process, which runs until October 29. Voting is scheduled for November 20.
The list includes a mix of new and familiar faces. Among the nominees are Manjula Gavit (Sakri ST), Amol Chimanrao Patil (Erandol), and Kishor Patil (Pachora), who previously won as an Independent. Former Minister Arjun Khotkar will contest from Jalna, while Pradip Jaiswal will run in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Central.
Several candidates have faced internal opposition, including Suhas Kande from Nandgaon, despite resistance from NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal.
CM Shinde’s close associate, Pratap Sarnaik, has also been renominated, alongside various other candidates including Prakash Surve (Malthane) and Mahesh Shinde (Koregaon).
As the Shiv Sena prepares for the elections, the focus remains on securing a strong foothold in the state’s political landscape.
