The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), led by Raj Thackeray, has announced its fifth list of candidates in preparation for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. This latest roster includes 15 individuals vying for various constituencies across the state, further solidifying the party’s presence in the electoral landscape.
New Candidates for the Assembly Elections
Among the candidates nominated are:
- Yogesh Chile from Panvel
- Shivshankar Lagar from Khamgaon
- Mallinath Patil from Akkalkot
- Nagesh Paskanti from Solapur City
- Madhya Amit Deshmukh from Jalgaon
- Jamod Bhayyasaheb Patil from Mehkar
- Rupesh Deshmukh from Gangakedhe
- Shekhar Dunde from Umred
- Balasaheb Pathrikar from Fulambri
- Rajendra Gapat from Paranda
- Devdutt More from Osmanabad (Dharashiv)
- Sagar Dudhane from Katol
- Someshwar Kadam from Beed
- Faisal Popere from Srivardhan
- Yuvraj Yeddre from Radhanagari
This latest announcement adds to the MNS’s strategic efforts to consolidate support in various regions as the election date approaches.
Criticism of Current MLA Aaditya Thackeray
Earlier on the same day, MNS candidate for the Worli Assembly seat, Sandeep Deshpande, openly criticized incumbent MLA Aaditya Thackeray, who is the son of Uddhav Thackeray, the chief of Shiv Sena (UBT). Deshpande alleged that Thackeray has been absent from his constituency, failing to engage with residents over the past five years.
“The leader (Aaditya Thackeray) from here has been absent for the last five years. The people have never met him. The Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) projects remain incomplete. The BDD Chawl project, in which housing was to be allocated through a lottery, is riddled with corruption. No development work has been done in the chawls; hospitals lack ICUs, and Worli still has no private schools,” Deshpande stated, emphasizing the neglect faced by the constituency.
He further accused Thackeray of only making appearances during election periods, questioning his commitment to the community.
Key Election Dates and Context
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with the vote counting for all 288 constituencies set to take place on November 23. The upcoming elections are critical, as they will determine the political landscape of Maharashtra for the coming years.
In the 2019 assembly elections, the results were significant, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 105 seats, the Shiv Sena securing 56 seats, and the Congress obtaining 44 seats. In contrast, the 2014 elections saw the BJP achieving 122 seats, the Shiv Sena with 63 seats, and Congress with 42 seats.
As the MNS continues to unveil its candidates and campaign vigorously, the political atmosphere in Maharashtra is becoming increasingly charged as parties prepare to contest for influence and power in the state.
