Shiv Sena (UBT) corners most seats in MMR, to take on Shinde Sena in 11 seats

As the deadline to file nominations for the assembly elections ended on Tuesday, it became clear that Shiv Sena (UBT) would contest the highest number of seats

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray has fielded the maximum number of candidates in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, which has 61 assembly constituencies, followed by the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. The Uddhav Thackeray-led party has nominated 38 candidates in the region, followed by the BJP’s 31 and Shiv Sena’s 24. In Mumbai, the undivided Shiv Sena’s erstwhile stronghold, the two party factions will face off in 11 out of the 36 seats.

Shiv Sena (UBT) corners most seats in MMR, to take on Shinde Sena in 11 seats

As the deadline to file nominations for the assembly elections ended on Tuesday, it became clear that Shiv Sena (UBT) would contest the highest number of seats.

The party has fielded 22 candidates in Mumbai, followed by 17 from the BJP, 14 from Shiv Sena, 10 from Congress and three each from NCP and the NCP (SP). The Mahayuti is likely to support the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) in Shivdi as it has not fielded a candidate there.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leads in terms of the number of candidates in parts of MMR outside Mumbai as well. The party has named 16 candidates in the region, followed by 14 from the BJP.

The 11 constituencies within Mumbai which will see a direct fight between the two Shiv Senas are largely dominated by Marathi speaking voters. They include Mahim, Worli, Byculla, Bhandup, Vikhroli, Magathane, Jogeshwari East, Dindoshi, Andheri East, Chembur and Kurla. Nine constituencies will see a clash between Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP, while the Congress and BJP will face off in eight constituencies including Charkop, Kandivali, Colaba and Malad West. The Ajit Pawar-led NCP and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) will lock horns in Anushakti Nagar, where NCP leader Nawab Malik’s daughter Sana Malik is pitted against Fahad Ahmed.

The maximum infighting within the two main alliances, the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and Mahayuti, was over the 36 seats in Mumbai. The ruling Mahayuti alliance is facing rebellion in Andheri East, where Swikriti Sharma, wife of retired police officer and encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma, has entered the fray as an independent. Though she was eyeing a ticket from the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the party decided not to field her owing to objections raised by the BJP. In Dindoshi, Shiv Sena’s Vaibhav Bharadkar has filed nomination as an independent, posing a challenge before party’s official candidate Sanjay Nirupam.

In the MVA, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress were at loggerheads over several constituencies in the city. The Congress is upset with Shiv Sena (UBT) for not conceding seats like Bandra East, Byculla and Versova, where it had better prospects. In Byculla, former Congress MLA Madhukar Chavan has entered the fray as an independent whereas in Dharavi, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Baburao Mane has filed nomination, setting up a contest with Congress candidate Jyoti Gaikwad.