Thane, Oct 24 (PTI) Some of the candidates fielded by the ruling as well as opposition camps, including former MP Rajan Vichare and ex-minister Jitendra Awhad, filed their nomination papers in their respective assembly constituencies in Thane district of Maharashtra on Thursday.
Thane is the home turf of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The district comprises a total of 18 assembly constituencies, including the Kopri-Pachpakhadi seat that the CM represents.
So far, all three ruling parties – Shiv Sena, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Ajit Pawar – have announced the fist list of their candidates, while from the opposition side, only the Shiv Sena (UBT) has done so.
The process to file nomination papers for the November 20 assembly elections began on October 22 and will continue till October 29.
The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has given a chance to former Thane MP Rajan Vichare from the Thane assembly seat. Vichare, who lost this year’s Lok Sabha election to Shinde-led Sena’s Naresh Mhaske, filed his nomination. Sena (UBT) Thane district chief Kedar Dighe, nephew of late Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe, accompanied him.
Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has given ticket to local party leader Avinash Jadhav from Thane constituency, who filed his nomination paper. Raj Thackeray was also present on the occasion.
From Kalwa-Mumbra assembly segment, NCP (SP) leader and former state minister Jitendra Awhad filed his nomination. He will take on NCP nominee Najeeb Mulla.
In Kalyan East constituency, the BJP has fielded Sulbha Gaikwad, wife of MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who is currently in jail for allegedly shooting Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad. She filed her nomination, and was accompanied by Maharashtra minister Ravindra Chavan and other party functionaries.
In Kalyan Rural, former MLA Subhash Bhoir filed his nomination as a Sena (UBT) candidate, while MNS nominee and sitting MLA Pramod (Raju) Patil also submitted his paper. MNS president Raj Thackeray accompanied him.
From Murbad seat, sitting MLA Kisan Kathore from the BJP submitted his nomination paper. The MNS has given candidature to local leader Sangeeta Chendvankar, who said to have led the protests over the sexual abuse case involving minor girl students of a school in Badlapur. PTI COR NP
About the Author
