Mumbai, October 22: The Maharashtra assembly elections 2024 are just a month away, and the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) made the first move by announcing 99 candidates for the state polls on Sunday, October 20. The BJP has repeated 71 sitting MLAs for the upcoming Maharashtra election 2024 and has introduced a handful of debutants like Ashok Chavan's daughter, Sreejaya Chavan. The Maharashtra Assembly Elections will take place on November 20. The counting of votes will be on November 23, and the results of the Maharashtra polls will be declared on the same evening.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar, and ministers Girish Mahajan, Sudhir Mungantiwar, and Chandrakant Patil are among the prominent faces featured in the first list of candidates. In this article, we will examine some of the key BJP candidates entering the fray for the Maharashtra Assembly election 2024 and their constituencies. Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024: From Devendra Fadnavis in Nagpur South West and Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Kamthi to Girish Mahajan in Jamner, List of Key BJP Candidates and Constituencies.

Key BJP Candidates for Maharashtra Elections 2024

Nitesh Rane

Nitesh Rane, Veteran politician Narayan Rane’s younger son, has been renominated by the BJP to contest the Kankavli seat in the Konkan region. Nitesh is a two-time MLA from Kankavli - 2014 from the Congress and 2019 from the BJP. Nitesh Rane has an older brother, Nilesh Rane, who served as an MP on the Congress ticket. The Ranes hold significant prominence in the Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg region.

Chandrakant Patil

Chandrakant Patil will once again contest the November Maharashtra polls from the Kothrud assembly seat in Pune. Patil is a big BJP player in Pune and enjoys a stronghold in Kothrud and adjoining areas. Patil has held various significant positions, including the state BJP president. Patil's political journey began with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) before he joined the BJP. Known for his organisational skills and strong leadership, he has been instrumental in the party's strategies and campaigns in Maharashtra. 'We Are Pained': Discontentment over Candidates' List Bug BJP Ahead of Jharkhand Polls.

Rahul Narwekar

Rahul Narwekar is renominated from turf Colaba in south Mumbai. Narwekar was elected Speaker shortly after Eknath Shinde assumed the role of Chief Minister following the rebellion that fractured the undivided Shiv Sena. Narwekar's political career began with a notable tenure in the Shiv Sena, where he was a close confidant of Aaditya Thackeray, leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT).

However, in 2014, Narwekar made a strategic shift by leaving the Sena to join the NCP ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Although he contested from the Maval parliamentary seat, he faced defeat but was later accommodated with a Legislative Council seat. In a surprise move in 2019, Narwekar switched allegiance to the BJP.

Ashish Shelar

The BJP has repeated Ashish Shelar from the high-profile Bandra West constituency. Bandra West houses several Bollywood celebrities and prominent personalities like Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. He is president of the BJP's Mumbai unit and was elected as Mumbai Cricket Association President on January 12, 2017. The BJP has fielded Shelar's brother Vinod Shelar from Malad West seat.

Ram Kadam

The BJP has given Ram Kadam another opportunity to contest from the same Ghatkopar West constituency for the fourth time. Kadam stepped into politics with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) and emerged victorious in the 2009 Vidhan Sabha elections from Ghatkopar West. Kadam switched his allegiance to the BJP, securing consecutive victories in 2014 and 2019. Kadam is known for organising cultural activities, especially Dahi Handi and Navratri, in the area.

The BJP is looking to contest around 150 seats in the state, but it is involved in tough bargaining with its allies, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 22, 2024 05:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).