BJP Releases First Candidate List for Maharashtra Vidhansabha Election 2024
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially announced its first list of 99 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections in 2024. This marks a significant moment as the party steps into the election fray, unveiling some big names from its ranks. Among the prominent figures are Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and Srijaya Chavan, the daughter of MP Ashok Chavan, who will contest from the Bhokar constituency.
High-Level Meeting with Central Leadership
The list was finalized during a meeting of BJP’s Central Election Committee, held under the leadership of BJP national president JP Nadda. Present at the meeting were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah. After days of discussions and seat-sharing talks within the Mahayuti (BJP-led coalition), the party released this crucial first list of candidates.
Key Names in BJP’s First List
The first list comprises candidates for some of the safest and most strategically important seats. Here are a few key names:
- Devendra Fadnavis: Nagpur West
- Chandrashekhar Bawankule: Kamathi
- Srijaya Chavan: Bhokar
- Santosh Danve: Bhokardan
- Ashok Udke: Ralegaon
- Mohan Mate: Nagpur South
- Prashant Thakur: Panvel
- Rahul Narvekar: Colaba
Key Constituencies and New Faces
While the list includes many veterans like Fadnavis and Bawankule, it also brings new faces into the political spotlight, such as Srijaya Chavan, contesting from Bhokar, and Santosh Danve, son of Raosaheb Danve, contesting from Bhokardan. These young candidates are expected to bring fresh perspectives to the election campaign.
Prominent Leaders Contesting from Key Seats
- Devendra Fadnavis will be contesting from his home turf of Nagpur West, where he enjoys strong local support.
- Chandrashekhar Bawankule, the state president of BJP Maharashtra, will contest from Kamathi.
- Santosh Danve, continuing the political legacy of his family, will contest from Bhokardan.
Additionally, several other important leaders like Ashish Shelar from Bandra West and Mangalprabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill are part of the first list, highlighting the party’s strategy to field strong candidates from urban and rural constituencies alike.
BJP’s Strategy and Mahayuti Alliance
The BJP’s first candidate list signals a focus on securing seats in both urban power centers and rural strongholds. With its allies in the Mahayuti coalition, the BJP hopes to secure a decisive majority in the 288-seat Maharashtra Assembly. This list of 99 candidates reflects the party’s confidence in holding key constituencies, laying the groundwork for a fierce electoral contest.
The BJP’s entry into the election race has further energized the political atmosphere in Maharashtra, setting the stage for what promises to be a competitive and closely watched election.
Full List of Candidates from BJP’s First Announcement:
Nagpur West – Devendra Fadnavis
Kamathi – Chandrasekhar Bawankule
Shahada – Rajesh Padavi
Nandurbar- Vijayakumar village
Dhule City – Anup Aggarwal
Sindkheda – Jayakumar Rawal
Shirpur – Kashiram Pawara
Raver – Amol Javale
Bhusawal – Sanjay Sawkare
Jalgaon City – Suresh Bhole
Chalisgaon – Mangesh Chavan
Jamner-Girish Mahajan
Chikhli – Shweta Mahale
Khamgaon – Akash Phundkar
Jalgaon (Jamod) – Sanjay Kute
Akola East – Randhir Savarkar
Dhamgaon Railway – Pratap Adsad
Achalpur – Praveen Taide
Deoli – Rajesh Bakane
Hinganghat – Sameer Kunawar
Wardha – Pankaj Bhoyer
Hingana – Sameer Meghe
Nagpur South – Mohan Mate
Nagpur East – Krishna Khopde
Tirora – Vijay Rahangdale
Gondia – Vinod Agarwal
Amgaon – Sanjay Puram
Armoli – Krishna Gajabe
Ballarpur – Sudhir Mungantiwar
Chimur – Bunty Bhangdia
Voice – Sanjeevreddy Bodkurwar
Ralegaon – Ashok Udke
Yavatmal – Madan Yervar
Kinwat – Bhimrao Keram
Bhokar – Srijaya Chavan
Naigaon – Rajesh Pawar
Mukhed – Tushar Rathod
Hingoli – Tanaji Mutkule
Jintoor – Meghna Bordikar
Partur – Babanrao Lonikar
Badnapur – Narayan Kuche
Bhokardan – Santosh Danve
Phulumbri – Anuradha Chavan
Aurangabad East – Atul Save
Gangapur – Prashant Bomb
Baghlan – Dilip Borse
Chandwad – Rahul Aher
Nashik East – Rahul Dhikale
Nashik West – Seematai Diamonds
Nalasopara – Rajan Naik
Bhiwandi West – Mahesh Chowghule
Murbad – Kisan Kathore
Kalyam East – Sulabha Gaikwad
Dombivli – Ravindra Chavan
Thane – Sanjay Kelkar
Airoli – Ganesh Naik
Belapur – Manda Mhatre
Dahisar – Manisha Chaudhary
Mulund – Mihir Kotecha
Kandivali East – Atul Bhatkhalkar
Charkop – Yogesh Sagar
Malad West – Vinod Shelar
Goregaon – Vidya Thakur
Andheri West – Amit Satam
Vile Parle – Parag Alvani
Ghatkopar West – Ram Kadam
Bandra West – Ashish Shelar
Sion Koliwada- Tamil Selvan
Wadala – Kalidas Kolambakar
Malabar Hill – Mangalprabhat Lodha
Colaba – Rahul Narvekar
Panvel – Prashant Thakur
Uran – Mahesh Baldi
Daund- Rahul Kul
Chinchwad – Shankar Jagtap
Bhosari – Mahesh Landage
Shivajinagar – Siddharth Shirole
Kothrud – Chandrakant Patil
Parvati – Madhuri Missal
Shirdi – Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil
Shevgaon – Monica Rajle
Rahuri Shivajirao Kardile
Srigonda – Pratibha Pachapute
Karjat Jamkhed – Ram Shinde
Cage – Namitha Mundada
Nilanga- Sambhaji Patil Nilangekar
Ausa – Abhimanyu Pawar
Tuljapur – Rana Jagjit Singh Patil
Solapur City North – Vijayakumar Deshmukh
Akkalkot – Sachin Kalyanshetty
Solapur South – Subhash Deshmukh
Mann – Jayakumar Gore
Karad South – Atul Bhosale
Satara – Shivendraraje Bhosale
Kankavali – Nitesh Rane
Kolhapur South – Amal Mahadik
Ichalkaranji – Rahul Awade
Miraj – Suresh Khade
Sangli – Sudhir Gadgil
Aiming for a Strong Majority
As the Maharashtra Assembly election approaches, BJP’s candidate list and strategic seat allocation reflect its ambition to dominate the political scene in the state. With the backing of senior leaders and a clear focus on winnable seats, BJP aims to retain its influence and build a robust electoral performance in 2024.
