M'rashtra Assembly polls: FIR against Shiv Sena UBT candidate Sunil Raut for comments against Sena's woman candidate

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 5 (ANI): An FIR has been registered against Sunil Raut, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate from Vikroli constituency and brother of Sanjay Raut for his reported objectionable comments against a woman candidate of chief minster Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
The FIR has been registered under Sections 79, 351(2) and 356(2) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Reportedly, Sunil Raut while addressing an election rally called the Shiv Sena Shinde faction's Vikhroli assembly candidate Suvarna Karanje a "goat".
Sunil Raut is the candidate for the Shiv Sena UBT from the Vikhroli assembly constituency, from where he contested and won previously in the 2014 and 2019 assembly elections. This time he is contesting against Karanje from the Shiv Sena party and Vishwajeet Dholam from the MNS party.
As polls approach for the 288 Assembly seats in the State, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations.
BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The Baramati constituency in Maharashtra will again witness a family battle as NCP leader Ajit Pawar will face his nephew Yugendra Pawar. He is the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother Shrinivas Pawar.
Earlier, Baramati witnessed a high-profile battle in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when Sunetra Pawar contested against Supriya Sule. The latter won the contest by 1.5 lakh votes.
Maharashtra elections will be held in a single phase on November 20 with counting of votes held on November 23.
In the 2019 assembly elections in Maharashtra, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. (ANI)