Shiv Sena (UBT) releases first list of 65 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly polls

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 23 (ANI): Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray faction on Wednesday released its first list of 65 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
Shiv Sena (UBT) has once again fielded incumbent Aaditya Thackeray from the Worli constituency.
Another interesting match-up is Kedhar Dighe, nephew of Anand Dighe, who will be against CM Eknath Sindhe from the Kopri-Panchpakhadi Assembly constituency. Anand Dighe was the mentor of Eknath Sindhe.
Other candidates in the fray are Sunil Raut from Vikroli, Rajan Vichare from Than, Dipesh Mhatre from Dombivli, and Vaishali Sooryavanshi from Pachora.
Earlier in the day Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) released their first list of 38 candidates.
Deputy chief minister and NCP president Ajit Pawar will be contesting from the Baramati Assembly constituency.
Other candidates in the fray are Chhagan Bhujbal (Yeola), Dilip Walse Patil (Ambegaon).
The party has also given a ticket to Hiraman Khoskar to contest from Igatpuri and Shulbha Khodke from Amravati, both of them are former Congress MLAs who joined the NCP (Ajit Pawar) recently. Khodke was expelled from the Congress on October 12. Khoskar joined the party on the night of October 14.
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) have intensified their preparations.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena won 56 seats, and the Congress secured 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 63 and the Congress 42. (ANI)