Maharashtra Elections 2024: Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Aaditya Thackeray among top 10 candidates to watch out

The November 20 Maharashtra assembly elections will witness a clash of the titans as the Mahayuti and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will battle it out in the battle for the Mantralaya.

Among the top candidates in the fray are Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Aaditya Thackeray and state Congress chief Nana Patole. 

Top candidates to watch for in Maharashtra polls 

Eknath Shinde 

Chief Minister Shinde is locked in a Sena vs Sena contest in Thane's Kopri Pachpakhadi assembly constituency. Eknath Shinde will battle it out with his late mentor and Shiv Sena leader Anand Dighe's nephew Kedar Dighe in this constituency. 

The two will fight it out to stake claim on the late Shiv Sena leader's legacy. 

Devendra Fadnavis 

Fadnavis, who holds the distinction of being the only Maharashtra CM to complete a full term in office since 1972, will be in the poll fray from his stronghold Nagpur South West against Congress' Prafulla Gudadhe. 

Even though Fadnavis has the Mahayuti's flagship 'Ladki Bahin' scheme and various infrastructure projects to bank on, the Nagpur South West contest seems to be far from a cakewalk.

The Deputy CM's opponent Prafulla Gudadhe is known for his local connect. Gudadhe could benefit from any voter fatigue towards the BJP or dissatisfaction with the current government over urban infrastructure, public services, and concerns about BJP's economic policies. 

Ajit Pawar

In the Maharasthra elections 2024, the Deputy CM is locked in a Pawar vs Pawar showdown in the Baramati assembly seat in Pune. NCP (SP) has fielded Ajit Pawar's nephew Yugendra Pawar from the Pawar family stronghold. 

Ajit 'Dada' Pawar has retained the seat for seven consecutive terms since 1991. Yugendra, on the other hand, is making his electoral debut from the seat. 

Aaditya Thackeray 

The Shiv Sena (UBT) scion is faced with a triangular contest in Mumbai's Worli assembly constituency. The junior Thackeray is hoping to bank on the work he did in the constituency during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In the 2019 elections, Aaditya Thackeray won the seat with a whopping 89,248 votes. The 2024 contest, however, is tough as he's got strong opponents in the form of Milind Deora from Shiv Sena and Sandeep Deshpande from uncle Raj Thackeray's Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). 

Milind Deora

Shinde Sena has hedged its bets on Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora to dent Aaditya Thackeray's prospects from Worli. Deora has accused Thackeray of hindering development work in Mumbai as well as the state through his "speed-breaker politics."

Deora is no stranger to the Worli seat as his father and veteran Congress leader Murli Deora won from the seat four times from 1984-91. Milind Deora himself won from the seat on a Congress ticket in 2004 and 2009. 

Nana Patole 

In this constituency, Patole is faced with spirited opposition from BJP's Avinash Anandrao Brahmankar. Patole has a largely positive rapport amongst voters in the constituency on issues such as agrarian reforms, employment and economic development. 

By fielding Brahmankar from the constituency, the BJP not only aims to challenge Patole's stronghold but also plans to strengthen its foothold in Vidarbha, a region considered significant in Maharashtra's political landscape. 

Chandrashekhar Bawankule

In this BJP vs Congress fight, the state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule is eyeing a fourth consecutive term from the Kamthi assembly seat in Nagpur. The Congress, on the other hand, has fielded former Nagpur Zila Panchayat president Suresh Bhoyar from the high-profile seat. 

Zeeshan Siddique

Slain Maharashtra minister Baba Siddique's son and NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique is up against Uddhav Thackeray's nephew Varun Sardesai in Bandra East. MNS' Trupti Sawant is also contesting from this seat. 

While Zeeshan is hoping to repeat his 2019 feat in the assembly constituency, Varun Sardesai is likely to bank on his Thackeray connection and the Shiv Sena's traditional voter base in the constituency. 

Sreejaya Chavan

The BJP has fielded former CM Ashok Chavan's daughter Sreejaya Chavan from Nanded's Bhokar assembly seat. Sreejaya's political debut from Bhokar is her attempt to take the Chavan family legacy forward. 

Her chances at winning Bhokar could be marred by the dissatisfaction among farmers, widespread anger among Marathas over quota, and the constituency's history of resisting BJP candidates. The Congress has gone the Aam Aadmi route on the Chavan stronghold by fielding Tirupati Kadam from the seat. 

Amit Thackeray 

Raj Thackeray's son Amit Thackeray will make his electoral debut in a tripartite contest from the Mahim assembly seat in Mumbai. Here, he is pitted against Shiv Sena's Sada Sarvankar and Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Mahesh Sawant. 

The Mahim fight is also seen as the fight for Shiv Sena's legacy as the constituency is home to the undivided Shiv Sena's headquarters Shiv Sena Bhavan and the prestigious Shivaji Park.