Assembly Elections: 3,239 in Maharashtra fray, 1,168 contest in Haryana

A total of 3,229 candidates are in the fray for the October 21 assembly elections to 288 seats in Maharashtra while 1,168 candidates will face off in the fight for 90 seats in Haryana, showed official figures after the last date for withdrawal of poll nominations on Monday.

In Maharashtra, it appeared that both the major alliances – the Bharatiya Janata Party- and the Congress-Nationalist Congress Party — will face rebels in as many as 30 constituencies.

The final list of candidates showed the Congress-NCP coalition had backed Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) candidates in some seats. A case in point was Kothrud in Pune, where the Congress-NCP supported MNS candidate Kishore Shinde. In Thane city, the alliance supported MNS pick Avinash Jadhav by withdrawing the candidature of NCP’s corporator Suhas Desai.

In Mumbai, at least three seats will see serious rebels. From Bandra East, sitting Shiv Sena MLA Trupti Sawant is contesting as an independent against Sena candidate and Mumbai mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar. Bandra East is a prestige fight for the Sena because party chief Uddhav Thackeray’s family house Matoshree is here.

In Versova, Sena’s sitting corporator Rajul Patel is contesting as an independent, posing a challenge for sitting BJP MLA Bharati Lavekar. Sena’s legislator Ramesh Latke is facing rebellion from BJP’s former corporator Murji Patel, who is in the fray as independent from Andheri East.

In Haryana, the newly floated Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) is fighting on all the seats. The Indian National Lok Dal (INLD), a shadow of its former self after defections and infighting, has fielded candidates on 82 seats, giving three to ally Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and supporting independents on five. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is contesting on 46 seats and Swaraj India on 28.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar is facing Congress first timer Tarlochan Singh in Karnal. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda will face BJP’s Satish Nandal on the Garhi Sampla Kiloi seat. In Kaithal, the Congress communication in-charge Randeep Surjewala is being challenged by BJP’s Lila Ram Gurjar, who was formerly an INLD MLA.

INLD leader Abhay Chautala is fighting BJP’s Pawan Kumar Ellenabad. At Dabwali, BJP’s Aditya Devilal, grandson of former deputy prime minister Late Devi Lal, faces INLD’s Sita Ram.

At Uchana Kalan, sitting BJP MLA Prem Lata faces JJP’s Dushyant Chautala. Sitting Congress MLA Kuldeep Bishnoi, son of former chief minister Bhajan Lal, is being challenged by TikTok star Sonali Phogat of the BJP in Adampur.