After giving tense moments over several days to Eknath Shinde, the BJP finally agreed to let the Shiv Sena renominate the chief minister's son Dr Shrikant Shinde in Kalyan Lok Sabha constituency. Significantly, deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis (BJP) made the announcement and not the CM himself. However, supporters of BJP MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who is currently in jail after he opened fire recently on the Shiv Sena's Mahesh Gaikwad, have passed a resolution stating that they will not campaign for Dr Shinde.
A bitter tug-of-war was going on between the ruling Mahayuti allies,the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde), vis-a-vis the Kalyan seat. The BJP insisted on fielding its candidate on the ground that out of the six assembly segments in the parliamentary constituencies, the Shiv Sena (Shinde) had its MLA in only Ambernath, while BJP MLAs were there in Ulhasnagar, Kalyan East and Dombivli, while the NCP (Sharad Pawar) held the Mumbra-Kalwa seat and Kalyan Rural was with the MNS.
Thane Constituency
The BJP suggested that Dr Shinde be shifted to neighbouring Thane constituency. However, the CM was apparently not confident of his son winning the Thane seat because the Shiv Sena (UBT) was in a do-or-die mood to retain the seat where its Rajan Vichare was elected in 2019. The Shiv Sena (UBT) wants to teach lesson to the CM in his home turf to avenge his betrayal of the united party. It was because Shinde walked out of the united Shiv Sena with over 30 MLAs that the Uddhav Thackeray government collapsed.
Meanwhile, the poll picture in the state is becoming less hazy with the battle lines drawn clearly in 33 of the 48 seats. After Uttar Pradesh (80) Maharashtra has the highest number of seats in the Lok Sabha at 48.
Uncertainty In 15 Seats
However, in as many as 15 seats the situation is still not clear since the ruling MahaYuti, comprising of the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde) and NCP (Ajit Pawar), is yet to announce nominees in eight seats and Maha Vikas Aghadi is unsure about its nominees in five seats.
The 33 constituencies where the line up is clear include Mumbai North East where Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Sanjay Dina Patil, who was earlier in the undivided NCP, is taking on the BJP nominee Mihir Kotecha. The BJP decided to deny ticket to sitting M.P. Manoj Kotak despite his good performance.
Mumbai South-Central Constituency
In Mumbai south-central the battle , in the main, will be between sitting M.P. Rahul Shewale of Shiv Sena (Shinde) and Anil Desai of the Shiv Sena (UBT), who is a close confidant of Uddhav Thackeray. Desai was earlier a Rajya Sabha M.P. and is a part of the inner circle of his party. The BJP has fielded Union minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai north. But the MVA is still to finalise its nominee against him.
Mumbai- North West Constituency
In Mumbai north-west the Sena (UBT) has given the ticket to Amol, son of sitting M.P. Gajanan Kirtikar who is now with Shinde. In Mumbai south Thackeray has renominated Arvind Sawant, but the BJP, which is keen on bagging this prestigious seat is yet to decided whether to field Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who is one of the top builders of India and a state minister, or Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
Shirdi, Dhindori, Jalgaon Constituency
In the pilgrim town of Shirdi the Shiv Sena's nominee Sadashiv Lokhande is seeking reelection, but he is being given a run for his money by the Shiv Sena UBT's Bhausaheb Waghchaure. In Dindori the battle is between BJP nominee Bharati Pawar and NCP (SP) nominee Bhaskar Bhagre, in Jalgaon BJP nominee Smita Wagh is facing tough opposition from Shiv Sena UBT candidate Karan Pawar.
Nandurbar Constituency
In tribal constituency of Nandurbar, BJP nominee Hina Gavit will take on Congress nominee Gopal Padvi, in Maval it is Shiv Sena nominee Shrirang Barne vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Sanjoy Waghre, in Shirur it is NCP Ajit Pawar nominee Shivajirao Adhalrao vs NCP (SP) nominee Amol Kolhe, in Baramati NCP SP nominee Supriya Sule vs NCP Ajit Pawar nominee Sunetra Pawar and in Pune BJP nominee Muralidhar Mohol vs Congress nominee Ravindra Dhangekar.
Ahemdnagar Constituency
In the sugarcane-rich Ahmednagar seat, BJP nominee Sujay Vikhe-Patil is in the race against NCP SP nominee Nilesh Lanke, in Kolhapur the Congress nominee Shrimant Shahu Maharaj vs Shiv Sena nominee Sanjay Mandlik, in Hatkanangale Shiv Sena nominee Dhairyasheel Mane vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Satyajeet Patil, in Sangli BJP nominee Sanjaykaka Patil vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Chandrahar Patil, in Solapur the Congress nominee and former Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's daughter Pranati vs BJP nominee Ram Satpute and in Raigad the NCP Ajit Pawar nominee Sunil Tatkare vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Ananta Gite.
Akola Constituency
Moreover, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi founder Prakash Ambedkar is pitted against BJP nominee Anup Dhotre and Congress candidate Abhay Patil in Akola constituency.
Buldhana
In Buldhana the fight is between the Shiv Sena nominee Prataprao Jadhav and Shiv Sena UBT nominee Narendra Khedekar, in Amravati BJP nominee Navneet Rana vs Congress nominee Balwant Wankhede, in Wardha BJP nominee Ramdas Tadas vs NCP SP nominee Amar Kale, in Ramtek Shiv Sena nominee Raju Parwe vs Congress nominee Shyamkumar Barve, in Chandrapur BJP nominee Sudhir Mungantiwar vs Congress nominee Pratibha Dhanorkar.
Nagpur
In Nagpur it is BJP veteran Nitin Gadkari vs Congress nominee Vikas Thakre, in Bhandara- Gondia BJP nominee Sunil Mende vs Congress nominee Prashant Patole, in Gadchiroli- Chimur BJP nominee Ashok Nete vs Congress nominee Namdev Kirsan and in Yavatmal Washim Shiv Sena UBT nominee Sanjay Deshmukh vs Shiv Sena nominee Rajashri Patil.
Marathwada
In the Marathwada region, BJP nominee Pankaja Munde will take on NCP (SP) nominee Bajrang Sonawane, in Dharashiv it is Shiv Sena UBT nominee Omraje Nimbalkar vs CP Ajit Pawar nominee Archana Patil, in Parbhani Rashtriya Samaj Paksha founder and Dhangar community leader Mahadev Jankar vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Sanjay Jadhav, in Nanded BJP nominee Pratap Chikhalikar vs Congress nominee Vasant Chavan, in Latur BJP nominee Sudhakar Shrungare vs Congress nominee Shivajirao Kalge and in Hingoli Shiv Sena nominee Baburao Kadam Kohalikar vs Shiv Sena UBT nominee Nagesh Patil-Ashtikar.
Inputs From IANS
