Maharashtra Assembly Polls 2024: When Will Congress & BJP's First List Of Candidates Be Out?

Days after the Election Commission announced the polling date for Maharashtra's assembly elections, both Congress and BJP are set to unveil their first list of candidates.

Congress is part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprising Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Sharad Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Reports indicate that Congress may drop 10 sitting MLAs based on internal survey feedback, with plans to offer these lawmakers positions in the Legislative Council (MLC).

In the 2019 elections, Congress had won 44 of the 288 seats in the Maharashtra Assembly. However, this time, the party wants to field candidates in 100 seats and talks with its allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar).

The party's first candidate list is expected to be released on October 20.

Meanwhile, the BJP is also preparing to release its first list of candidates next week, buoyed by its recent victory in the Haryana assembly polls. The BJP aims to retain power with its ruling coalition partners-Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) and the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar.

Maharashtra's political landscape is now highly fragmented, with six main parties contesting: BJP, Shiv Sena, NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP). The alliances are complex, with recent splits within both the Shiv Sena and NCP. Adding to the challenges are significant local issues, including the Maratha quota stir and intensified opposition efforts.

This election cycle marks a significant shift since 2019, when a pre-poll alliance between BJP and Shiv Sena fell apart over the chief ministership, leading Shiv Sena to join Congress and NCP in an unprecedented coalition under Uddhav Thackeray. The upcoming election on November 20, with results on November 23, promises a highly competitive contest as both MVA and Mahayuti coalitions are yet to finalize their seat-sharing agreements.