The nomination process for the Maharashtra Assembly elections officially ended on Wednesday but with little clarity on the final seat-sharing arrangement between allies of the Mahayuti as well as the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
The suspense that prevailed ahead of the nomination deadline continues a day after the process concluded. While some clarity will emerge after the scrutiny of nomination process by the Election Commission of India, the suspense over seat-sharing among allies on both sides of the political divide will only end when the deadline for withdrawal of nominations by candidates ends on November 4.
The confusion is partly because some parties have opted to give nomination forms to two candidates from the same constituency and partly because of multiple rebel candidates filing nominations after being denied tickets by their respective parties, an analysis by CNN-News18 shows.
A total of 7,995 candidates have filed 10,905 nomination papers. According to the latest tally, the BJP has filed nominations on 152 seats, Shiv Sena on 81 seats and the NCP on 54 seats – the total comes to 287 seats, and this includes seats given to smaller parties in the alliance. The one seat where the Mahayuti has not fielded a candidate is likely the Sewri seat in Mumbai.
The gesture is believed to be guided by the BJP's decision to show support to MNS candidate Bala Nandgaonkar, who is taking on Ajay Chowdhary, the sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA. However, a local BJP leader has also filed his nomination as an Independent.
For the Maha Vikas Aghadi, there is clarity on 285 seats so far which includes 8 seats offered to smaller parties. Among them, the Congress has filed nominations on 102 seats, the highest within the alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded candidates on 92 seats and the NCP(Sharad Pawar) on 87. There is little clarity on the remaining three seats for the MVA.
The ruling Mahayuti faces a turmoil within its ranks with leaders from the three parties defying the leadership's diktat and filing nominations as Independents.
In Mumbai’s Borivali constituency, the BJP’s official candidate Sanjay Upadhyay faces a challenge from former party MP Gopal Shetty. Similarly, In Andheri, Swikruti Sharma – wife of former cop Pradip Sharma – has filed her nomination against Shinde-led Sena’s Murji Patel and incumbent MLA Rutuja Latke of the Shiv Sena (UBT).
The situation is far more jumbled in the MVA camp where there are dual candidates in at least five seats --- Miraj, Sangola, South Solapur, Pandharpur and Paranda --- where both the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) have fielded their candidates. The chaos was reflected in the Shiv Sena (UBT) issuing the AB forms to all 96 candidates on the final day of nomination.
The developments mirrored the lack of consensus that prevailed all through the discussions on seat-sharing within the MVA.
In Miraj, Sena (UBT)’s Tanaji Satpute and Mohan Wankhade of the Congress are vying for the seat. Sangola presents a similar situation, with Sena (UBT)’s Deepak Aaba Salunkhe up against Shetkari Kamgar Paksha (Shekap) candidate Babasaheb Deshmukh.
In South Solapur, Congress candidate Dilip Mane and Sena (UBT)’s Amar Patil are in the race. Pandharpur is likely to witness a contest between Congress candidate Bhagirath Bhalke against NCP (SP)’s Anil Sawant, while Paranda has Sena (UBT)’s Ranjit Patil facing off against NCP (SP)’s Rahul Mote.
A win in each of these constituencies will be crucial for the MVA, especially in cases where a close contest is likely, to prevent the division of votes. MVA and Mahayuti parties are likely to spend the next five days reaching out to rebels in order to pacify them and get them to withdraw their candidature ahead of the November 4 deadline.
Polling in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20 while the counting of votes will be undertaken on November 23.
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