After days of intense discussions and negotiations, the BJP on Tuesday released its first list of 125 candidates for the forthcoming Maharashtra polls. The national party is also expected to field another 19 candidates after receiving approval of the Central Election Committee.

According to the seat-sharing arrangement, which is being hammered out between the BJP and the Shiv Sena for the October 21 poll, BJP candidates will contest 144 seats, its allies such as the Republican Party of India (Athavale) and others will get 18 seats, while the Shiv Sena will have to contend with 126 seats.

In the 288-member Assembly, the BJP holds122 seats and the Shiv Sena 63.

‘Not yet final’

BJP sources said that the final list is still not in place because the Shiv Sena is not happy with some of the BJP allies, including Narayan Rane — who made his political career in the Shiv Sena but later left the party to join the Congress. After shifting parties twice, Rane has finally joined hands with the BJP.

Big shots in the list

Rane is currently an independent member of the Rajya Sabha with the external support from the BJP. Among the big guns on the list is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who would be fighting from the Nagpur South-West seat. Fadnavis has won the 2009 and 2015 State Assembly elections from the same constituency.

The party has also given a ticket to BJP State President Chandrakant Patil from the Kothrud constituency near Pune. Patil is the chief troubleshooter for the party in Maharashtra and a strong contender for the top position, if ever, Fadnavis is given a higher position.

Tthe Shiv Sena’s principal candidate would be party President Uddhav Thackeray’s elder son Aaditya Thackeray, who announced that he would be contesting from the Worli Assembly seat in Mumbai. Aaditya Thackeray is the first Thackeray in the clan to ever fight an election.

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