Maharashtra Election: Shinde Sena Fields Milind Deora Against Sena-UBT's Aaditya Thackeray From Mumbai's Worli

The Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday nominated Rajya Sabha member Milind Deora against ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray’s son and Shiv Sena (UBT) nominee Aaditya Thackeray from Mumbai’s Worli in the upcoming assembly polls.

Deora, a former Congress leader and Union minister of state, joined the Sena before the Lok Sabha polls this year and was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Photo Credit: PTI

Shinde’s decision to pit Deora against incumbent MLA and former state minister Aaditya Thackeray will make Worli a high-voltage contest. The Shiv Sena on Sunday announced its candidates for 20 seats.

It also fielded BJP Lok Sabha member Narayan Rane’s son Nilesh Rane from the Kudal constituency. His younger brother and sitting MLA Nitesh Rane has been renominated by the BJP from Kankavali in Sindhudurg district.

The party has picked Member of Legislative Council and former MP Bhawana Gawali from Risod in Washim district, while another MLC, Amshya Padvi, will contest on a Sena ticket from the Akkalkuva constituency in Dhule district.

Former Lok Sabha member Sanjay Nirupam will contest from Dindoshi seat in Mumbai. Sena has also nominated former BJP leader Murji Patel for the Andheri East seat in the state capital.

BJP ex-MP Rajendra Gavit, who joined the Sena in 2019 and won the Palghar Lok Sabha seat then, has been fielded from the Palghar assembly constituency.

Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.