Mumbai: All parties have announced their candidates for the election of 288 assemblies in Maharashtra. With the final list announcements, several leaders who have been denied tickets have now emerged as independent candidates. Among the key faces are BJP leaders Atul Shah and Gopal Shetty from Mumbai, and Hasmukh Gehlot from Thane.
The Mahayuti has fielded Shaina NC from Mumbadevi seat in south Mumbai from the Shiv Sena-Eknath Shinde party. The former BJP spokesperson left the party to join the Sena on Monday and filed her nomination form on Tuesday. This has angered the BJP spokesperson and former MLA Atul Shah, who was expecting to be fielded from the constituency. After the party denied ticked, Shah, the former corporator and an active local leader announced that he is contesting independently from Mumbadevi.
"This is not a musical chair that anybody can be fielded. The leadership should think who will win seat and work for the constituency. I have worked here as the corporator for seven years, started vaccination center where over 50,000 people were vaccinated. For the Ladki Bahin yojana, I am the only corporator who erected a pandal outside the office and filled 12,000 forms. I feel sad for denying ticket," Shah said speaking with ANI.
The Congress has fielded veteran leader Amin Patel from Mumbaidevi, a three-term MLA.
While in Borivali constituency, a strong leader and former BJP MP Gopal Shetty has announced his independent candidature after the party fielded Sanjay Upadhyay. Upadhyay is Mumbai BJP General Secretary, however from Borivali Gopal Shetty was the strong contender after Piyush Goyal was fielded for 2024 Lok Sabha from Shetty's constituency Mumbai North.
"Upadhyay is not a resident of Borivali. The BJP workers are upset that I am not fielded, thus on their demand I have decided to contest independently. I support BJP and Devendra Fadnavia, but party's decision of field Upadhyay is not right and I am contesting against it," Shetty said speaking with the media.
On the other hand, another BJP leader Hadmukh Gehlot has announced to contest from Thane's Owala Majiwada seat after the Mahayuti fielded Shiv Sena's Pratap Sarnaik. Former deputy mayor, Gehlot was expecting to fielded for assembly polls from BJP.
With few hours remaining for filing nominations, upset faces have emerged from the Congress party as well. In the latest list released by Congress, it replaced the candidature of Raju Latkar from Kolhapur North and fielded Madhurimaraje Chhatrapati. However, after the announcement, Latkar has decided to file nomination as independent candidate, reports say.
Meanwhile from Mumbai, reportedly, Congress leader Madhu Chavan has decided to contest independently from Byculla constituency.
