Maharashtra polls: BJP drops 8 sitting MLAs, Congress 5

With the nomination deadline for the Maharashtra assembly elections now closed, it emerges that the BJP and Congress among the major political parties have dropped the maximum number of sitting MLAs.

The BJP has opted not to grant tickets to eight MLAs, followed by Congress which replaced five MLAs.

The NCP led by Ajit Pawar and the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) have opted not to grant tickets to two incumbent MLAs each.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has repeated almost all MLAs who had sided with Shinde during the rebellion barring two.

Voting for 288 seats will be held on November 20. Votes will be counted on November 23.

The exact number of candidates fielded by each constituent of the ruling Mahayuti and opposition MVA alliance cannot be reconciled as some parties have given nomination forms to two candidates in certain seats.

Among the most surprising decisions by the BJP is the replacement of Sunil Rane, the sitting MLA from Borivali in Mumbai, with Sanjay Upadhyay.

Other incumbents denied tickets include Sandeep Dhurve from Arni and Namdev Sasane from Umarkhed, who will be succeeded by Raju Todsam and Kisan Wankhede, respectively.

The BJP has also replaced Dada Kenche from Arvi and Vikas Kumbhare from Nagpur Central with Sumit Wankhede and Praveen Datke, respectively.

Wankhede had earlier served as an assistant to BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, while Datke is a sitting MLC of the party.