BJP to Contest 148 Seats While Congress Fields Candidates for 103 in Maharashtra Assembly Elections

The BJP is contesting 148 assembly seats in Maharashtra, the most among major political parties. The Congress follows with 103 seats as nominations concluded on Tuesday. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena has candidates in 80 constituencies, while Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's NCP has fielded 53 candidates for the November 20 polls to the 288-member state assembly.

Political Alliances and Seat Distribution

In the ruling Mahayuti alliance, five seats were allocated to other allies, with two segments undecided. In contrast, the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) sees Congress contesting 103 seats, Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena UBT on 89, and NCP SP on 87. Six seats were given to other MVA allies, with three segments still unclear.

Nearly 8,000 candidates from both ruling and opposition parties have submitted nominations for the assembly elections. Specifically, 7,995 candidates filed a total of 10,905 nominations with the Election Commission for the November 20 elections, according to a statement from the state's Chief Electoral Officer.

Nomination Process and Key Dates

Candidates began filing nominations on October 22, concluding on October 29. The verification and scrutiny of these papers are scheduled for October 30. The deadline for withdrawing candidatures is set for November 4 until 3 pm. Voting will occur on November 20, with counting of votes three days later.

The main contenders for power in this election are the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition MVA. Both alliances are vying for control of the state assembly in what promises to be a closely watched electoral battle.

The election process is crucial as it determines the political landscape of Maharashtra. With significant participation from various parties, the outcome will shape governance in one of India's largest states.