Maharashtra polls: BJP names 2 more candidates; count reaches 148

Mumbai: On the last day of filing of nomination papers, the BJP on Tuesday released the names of two more candidates for the next month's assembly elections, which took the total count of its nominees to 148.

As per the latest list, former MLA Narendra Mehta will contest from the Mira Bhayandar assembly segment in Thane district, while Sudhir Parwe will be fielded from Umred (SC) assembly segment in Nagpur district.

Elections to the 288-member assembly will be held on November 20, while the counting of votes will take place three days later. The BJP is contesting the elections as part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance also comprising Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Tuesday is the last day of filing of nomination papers.

In a statement, the party said it has decided to allocate four assembly seats to its allies. These include the Badnera seat in Amravati district to the Yuva Swabhiman Party, the Gangakhed seat in Parbhani district to the Rashtriya Samaj Party (RSP), the Kalina seat in Mumbai to the Republican Party of India (Athawale), and the Shahuwadi seat in Kolhapur to the Jan Surajya Shakti Party.

The BJP also fielded the party's Nanded district leader, Dr Santuk Marotrao Hambarde, as a candidate for the Nanded Lok Sabha bypoll. He will be competing against Congress candidate Ravindra Chavan, the son of late Vasant Chavan, who had recently won the Lok Sabha election.

This byelection to the Nanded Lok Sabha constituency was necessitated following the death of senior Congress leader Vasant Chavan in August.