Fadnavis, Hooda, Yogeshwar Dutt file nominations on last day

New Delhi [India], Oct 4 (ANI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, NCP leader Ajit Pawar, former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Olympian Yogeshwar Dutt were among prominent candidates who filed their nomination papers for Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana on Friday, the last day to file nominations.
Fadnavis filed his papers from the Nagpur South-West constituency. He was accompanied by Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and held a grand roadshow followed by party cadres and his supporters.
"We (the BJP) are blessed by the people of Maharashtra and Nagpur. We have done a great job in the state under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Our grand alliance will definitely win the elections with a great margin," Fadnavis told the media.
He claimed that BJP will emerge victorious on all 12 seats in the Nagpur district.
Fadnavis is the first BJP Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The Congress has fielded former BJP legislator Ashish Deshmukh as its candidate against Fadnavis.
Deshmukh, a strong supporter of the demand for a separate state of Vidarbha, had last year resigned from the state Assembly and the BJP.
BJP is fighting 26 more seats than its ally Shiv Sena. BJP is contesting 150 seats and Shiv Sena 124 seats with other smaller parties in the alliance contesting 14 seats. Maharashtra has a 288-member Assembly.
Ajit Pawar, a former Maharashtra minister, filed his nomination from Baramati.
NCP and Congress are contesting the polls in alliance with some other smaller parties. Congress is contesting 146 seats.
Hooda performed a `hawan' ahead of filing his nomination from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi. His wife, close relatives and party cadres were present on the occasion. The hawan was performed amid chanting of Vedic mantras.
Speaking to ANI, Hooda said "achievements of Congress and failures of the BJP government "will be the major issue in Haryana Assembly polls".
He alleged that the BJP government in the state has not fulfilled a single promise made to people.
Olympic medallist and wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt filed his nomination from Baroda constituency accompanied by Union Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.
"I want to thank our sports minister for coming here. Like the dedication I have shown in sports, I would like to work with the same spirit for the people," Dutt said.
Haryana has a 90-member Assembly. The polling in the two states will take place on October 21 while the counting of votes will take place on October 24. (ANI)