Maharashtra polls: Congress' Sachin Sawant refuses ticket from Andheri West, demands Bandra East

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 27 (ANI): Maharashtra Congress General Secretary, Sachin Sawant expressed displeasure over being fielded from the Andheri West constituency in Maharashtra assembly elections, and said he demanded the Bandra East, a seat where he has "worked extensively."
The Congress party announced its third list of 16 candidates for the assembly elections. Sawant was fielded from the Andheri West seat.
The latest list brings the total number of candidates announced by the Congress party to 87.
Speaking to ANI, Sawant said that he has requested the party that he does not want to contest from Andheri West.
"I have spoken about this to my party high command and Ramesh Chennithala. I expected the party to allot Bandra East constituency where I have extensively worked. I had not even asked for Andheri West. I have humbly requested the party that I do not want to contest from here. I have left this decision to the party high command," the Congress leader said.
"There is no resentment. I want the MVA to stay strong and our primary aim is to defeat Mahayuti," Sawant added.
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 nomination process for the 288 seats in the assembly has started and the polling will happen on November 20 with the results to be declared on November 23.
Earlier this week, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance revealed its seat-sharing arrangement for 255 constituencies, assigning 85 seats to each party. The remaining 23 seats in the state Assembly will be allocated based on their respective party candidate lists.
Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said that each alliance partner, namely Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) will be contesting 85 seats each.
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)