Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024: Shiv Sena (UBT) Releases First List Of 65 Candidates; Uddhav Thackeray Pits Anand Dighe’s Nephew against CM Shinde

Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena UBT  on Wednesday evening released its first  list of 65 candidates for the assembly elections in the state. Uddhav Thackeray's son Aaditya  will contest from the Worli assembly seat in Mumbai.  In a key move, Uddhav Thackeray has fielded Kedar Dighe to contest against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in Thane's Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency. Responding on the seat-sharing arrangement in Maha Vikas Aghadi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Tuesday said that the list of candidates got delayed because we are going to form government in the state of Maharashtra. 

"There is no seat-sharing formula of Maha Vikas Aghadi. MVA's list got delayed because we are going to form the Government. Others are going to sit in Opposition. We will come to power, so we have to choose candidates and seats very carefully. There are no disputes or differences among us. Everything is going well," said Sanjay Raut. Exuding confidence over the victory of Maha Vikas Aghadi in the Maharashtra assembly elections, Sanjay Raut said that Shiv Sena (UBT) will secure a century of seats and that the country wants them to win 100 seats.

As the polling date draws near, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations. In the 2019 assembly elections in Maharashtra, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena secured 63, and Congress won 42 seats.  The legislative assembly of Maharashtra is set to end on November 3. The voting for the Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on Novermber 20 while the counting of votes will take place on November 23.