Mumbai: Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora on Friday made the announcement that he will fight the Maharashtra Assembly elections from Worli against Shiv Sena's (UBT) Aaditya Thackeray. He said this in a post on social media X.
Here's what Milind Deora said
Earlier in the day, news agency ANI reported that the Shiv Sena faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will field Milind Deora from Worli for the Assembly elections, a day after Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray submitted his nomination for the same constituency.
Milind Deora is currently a Rajya Sabha member and is a three-time MP from South Mumbai. Earlier, he was given the responsibility during the Lok Sabha polls to handle Worli.
Despite being Aaditya's constituency, the Worli assembly saw a mere 6500 vote lead for UBT. Deora and Aaditya Thackeray will also have to reckon with Sandeep Deshpande of the MNS who has also been given a ticket from the constituency.
Aaditya files nomination from Worli
On Thursday, Shiv Sena (UBT) faction leader Aaditya Thackeray filed his nomination from the Worli assembly constituency. Speaking to ANI before filing his nomination Aditya Thackeray said that he was confident that the people would bless him.
"I am very confident that the people will bless me because we are about to form government in Maharashtra and that is for sure. As you can see, this atmosphere is very good, you can see the love people are giving me, and with this I will be filing me nomination," he told ANI.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Arvind Sawant also expressed confidence in Aditya Thackeray's victory from the Worli seat. "His (Aaditya Thackeray) name is not new - the entire Maharashtra knows him and he is known in the entire country and even abroad. The works done by him are so important that he gets compliments from everyone and is in the hearts of the people," Sawant said.
Poll battle intensifies
Both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) -- comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress -- have intensified their preparations for the upcoming elections to 288 Assembly seats in the State. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with counting for all 288 constituencies set for November 23. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena 56, and the Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP secured 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. (ANI)
