Maharashtra Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Nitin Gadkari to Piyush Goyal, list of key candidates, profile
Maharashtra, boasting 48 Lok Sabha seats, holds pivotal significance in determining the election results. Among the prominent contenders are Nitin Gadkari from Nagpur, Piyush Goyal from Mumbai North, Supriya Sule from Baramati and Ujjwal Nikam from Mumbai North-Central.
Maharashtra, boasting the second-highest count of Lok Sabha seats, organised its 2024 general elections across five phases, spanning from April 19 to May 20. Notably, during the second phase of voting, a by-election for the Akola West assembly seat occurred. The election dates were April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20, with Mumbai's six constituencies participating in the fifth phase. Comparatively, the 2019 elections unfolded over four phases, while in 2014, they were condensed into three phases. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP clinched 23 out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, while its erstwhile ally, Shiv Sena, secured 18 seats.
Here's is the list of top candidates who fought a tough battle against their competitiors:
| CANDIDATES | CONSTITUENCY |
| Nitin Gadkari (BJP) | Nagpur |
| Piyush Goyal (BJP) | Mumbai-North |
| Supriya Sule (NCP (Sharad Pawar) | Baramati |
| Navneet Kaur Rana (BJP) | Amravati |
| Sujay Vikhe-Patil (BJP) | Ahmednagar |
| Baburao Kadam Kohalikar (Shiv Sena) | Hingoli |
| Udayanraje Bhosale (BJP) | Satara |
| Kapil Patil (BJP) | Bhiwandi |
| Rajan Baburao Vichare (Shiv Sena (UBT) | Thane |
| Gowaal K Padavi (INC) | Nandurbar |
| Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) | Chandrapur |
Union minister Nitin Gadkari is the BJP candidate from the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat. Gadkari, who is currently holding the portfolio of the Ministry of Roadways, is seeking his third term. In Nagpur, there is a direct fight between Gadkari and Congress candidate Vikas Thakre. The high-profile constituency, which houses the RSS headquarters, has 22,18,259 voters.
Piyush Goyal (BJP)- Mumbai NorthUnion minister Piyush Goyal contested a Lok Sabha election for the first time from the Mumbai-North constituency. Goyal, a Rajya Sabha member and a veteran manager of many an election campaign, including that of Lal Krishna Advani in 1989, replaced incumbent Gopal Shetty as BJP's candidate for the constituency.
Supriya Sule (NCP-SP)- BaramatiSharad Pawar, who heads the NCP (SP), had declared MP Supriya Sule as their candidate from Maharashtra’s Baramati Lok Sabha seat. The three-term parliamentarian and daughter of NCP founder Sharad Pawar was pitted against her sister-in-law and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Baramati went to polls in the third phase on May 7.
Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) -ChandrapurDespite the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) dominance in 2019, Chandrapur remained a stronghold for the Congress party, as evidenced by the victory of the late Suresh N Dhanorkar over Hansraj Ahir (BJP). This win was crucial for Congress, being their only seat out of the 48 in the state. BJP's state Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar, a former state party chief, will face strong competition from Pratibha S Dhanorkar of the Congress, representing the I.N.D.I.A bloc.
While Mungantiwar is optimistic about securing his first Lok Sabha seat, the road ahead may not be smooth. Chandrapur's history of voting against the Modi wave in 2019, electing the late Dhanorkar from Congress, who passed away in 2023, adds an emotional element, potentially favoring his widow in the contest.
Navneet Rana (BJP)- AmravatiThe Amravati constituency in Maharashtra saw the BJP nominate Navneet Rana as their candidate. Originally from Mumbai, Rana is the daughter of a military officer. Following her schooling, she embarked on a career as a model, featuring in numerous music videos before venturing into South Indian cinema. Her entry into politics came after her marriage to BJP leader Ravi Rana. Initially contesting on an NCP ticket, she made her electoral debut in Amravati in 2014 but fell short of victory. However, she clinched the seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as an independent candidate.
Chhatrapati Udayanraje Bhosale, a seasoned figure in Maharashtra's political arena, has etched a distinct identity for himself through his bold and charismatic 'Dabang' approach, particularly resonating with the younger generation. Renowned for his lavish lifestyle and passion for motorcycles, cars, and SUVs, this 13th descendant of the revered Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj often garners attention by casually flipping up the collar of his shirt or kurta, a gesture that elicits cheers and whistles from onlookers. Popularly known as Udayan Maharaj or UdayanRaje, he is presently representing the BJP as their candidate from Satara. Raje, aged 58, clinched victory in the Satara constituency under the NCP banner in 2009, 2014, and 2019. However, his switch to the BJP led to a defeat by Dr Shriniwas Patil. Currently, he holds the position of a BJP Rajya Sabha member.
Hemant Patil (Shiv Sena)- HingoliHemant Patil, the incumbent Member of Parliament from Hingoli and a prominent figure in the Shiv Sena, was substituted with Baburao Kadam Kohalikar as the party's candidate for the Lok Sabha constituency. This decision came after the Shiv Sena, under the leadership of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, initially reaffirmed Patil's nomination from Hingoli on March 28. Hingoli went to polls in the second phase on April 26. In the previous general elections of 2019, Patil emerged victorious from Hingoli representing the undivided Shiv Sena, securing nearly 5.86 lakh votes.