Maha polls: Aaditya, Jayant Patil file papers; 552 in fray so far

Several prominent candidates, including cabinet ministers, Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Aaditya Thackeray and Maharashtra NCP-SP chief Jayant Patil, on Thursday filed their nomination papers for the November 20 assembly elections.

As many as 552 candidates have filed nominations so far after the process began on October 22 to elect a new 288-member assembly. The last date for filing nominations is October 29.

Of the ruling alliance Mahayuti, NCP ministers Dilip Walse Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal filed the papers for Ambegaon and Yeola seats, respectively, while their cabinet colleague from the BJP

Mangal Prabhat Lodha submitted his nomination for Malabar Hill in Mumbai.

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and state minister Chandrakant Patil filed his nomination papers from the Kothrud seat in Pune city. A well-attended rally preceded his filing of nomination papers.

Former minister Aaditya Thackeray filed his nomination for Worli in Mumbai, his current constituency.

Debutant Rohit Patil, son of the late NCP leader RR Patil, entered the fray from Tasgaon-Kavthemahankal in Sangli district on an NCP-SP ticket.

Jayant Patil, a former minister, filed his papers from Islampur in Sangli district. Another former cabinet member Harshvardhan Patil, who recently joined the NCP-SP after resigning from the BJP, filed his nomination for Indapur in Pune district.

Some of the candidates fielded by the ruling as well as opposition camps, including former MP Rajan Vichare (Shiv Sena-UBT) and ex-minister Jitendra Awhad (NCP-SP), filed their nomination papers in their respective assembly constituencies in Thane district.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has given a chance to former MP Vichare from the Thane assembly seat. Vichare lost this year's Lok Sabha election from Thane to Shinde-led Sena's Naresh Mhaske.

Sena-UBT Thane district chief Kedar Dighe, nephew of Shiv Sena stalwart the late Anand Dighe, accompanied Vichare when he submitted his papers.

From the Kalwa-Mumbra assembly segment, NCP-SP leader and former state minister Jitendra Awhad filed his nomination. He will take on NCP nominee Najeeb Mulla.

In the Kalyan East constituency, the BJP has fielded Sulbha Gaikwad, wife of MLA Ganpat Gaikwad, who is currently in jail for allegedly shooting Sena leader Mahesh Gaikwad. She filed her nomination, and was accompanied by Maharashtra minister Ravindra Chavan and other party functionaries.

In Kalyan Rural, former MLA Subhash Bhoir filed his nomination as the Sena-UBT candidate, while MNS nominee and sitting MLA Pramod (Raju) Patil also submitted his paper. MNS president Raj Thackeray accompanied him.

From Murbad seat, sitting MLA Kisan Kathore from the BJP submitted his papers.

Nomination papers will be scrutinised on October 30 and the last date for withdrawal of candidature is November 4. Polling will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted three days later.