The Shiv Sena (UBT) is set to unveil its initial roster of candidates in Maharashtra on Tuesday for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, slated to occur in seven phases commencing on April 19, as per statements from party spokesperson Sanjay Raut.
Raut, a prominent figure within the Shiv Sena, disclosed to the press that the party’s inaugural list is prepared and will be made public today. He emphasized the significance of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) alliance, asserting their integral role within the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition. Raut further indicated that discussions revolving around the allocation of four seats have transpired.
The roster is expected to encompass 16 nominees from the opposition faction led by Uddhav Thackeray.
Preceding this announcement, NCP (SCP) President Sharad Pawar visited the residence of Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Monday to partake in a Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance gathering. Sources reveal that deliberations regarding seat distribution occurred during the meeting at ‘Matoshree’.
In a separate development, amidst the electoral fervor surrounding the Lok Sabha polls, Raju Parwe, a senior Congress figure and Umred MLA from Maharashtra, officially joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Ministers Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.
The Mahayuti alliance received a notable reinforcement on March 24 with the inclusion of Rashtriya Samaj Paksha (RSP) chief Mahadev Jankar, who joined the alliance under the auspices of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Ajit Pawar, and Devendra Fadnavis.
Maharashtra is slated to conduct elections across five phases for its 48 constituencies in the upcoming general elections. The state ranks second in terms of contributing to the Lower House of Parliament, following Uttar Pradesh with 80 seats.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP clinched victory in 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the unified Shiv Sena secured triumph in 18 out of 23 seats. The unified NCP, a constituent of the opposition coalition, contested 19 seats and emerged victorious in four. Following the split in 2022, the Shiv Sena, formerly part of a coalition government with the Congress and NCP, witnessed Eknath Shinde aligning with the BJP.
