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Lok Sabha Elections 2019:Top leaders file nominations for 7 first phase seats in Maharashtra

Hindustan Times, Mumbai | ByHT Correspondent, Mumbai
Mar 26, 2019 05:36 PM IST

Among those who filed nominations on Monday for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections were former chief ministers Ashok Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Hansraj Ahir and Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar.

Candidates for the seven seats from Maharashtra that go to polls on April 11 rushed to file their nominations on Monday, the last day for the process.

Among those who submitted their documents were former chief ministers Ashok Chavan, Sushilkumar Shinde, union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Hansraj Ahir and Bharip Bahujan Mahasangh chief Prakash Ambedkar. Former state minister Nitin Raut filed his nomination from Ramtek, defying Congress party’s official nomination of Kishor Gajbhiye.

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The last day for filing of nomination for the 10 seats going to polls on April 18 is Tuesday. Barring Solapur, all other constituencies in the first two phases are from Vidarbha and central Maharashtra.

Yavatmal received the highest nominations (30), while Gadchiroli the lowest, nine. Until Monday, more than 240 nominations were filed for the first two phases.

Union transport and shipping minister Nitin Gadkari filed his nomination before district returning officer Ashwin Mudgal, in the presence of chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Nagpur’s guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. On the other hand, confusion prevailed in the Congress camp as Nitin Raut filed his nomination, instead of party’s official pick Gajbhiye. Congress’s Nana Patole filed his papers against Gadkari in Nagpur.

“My victory margin will swell significantly compared to the last election,” Gadkari said, after filing papers.

Union minister of state for home Hansraj Ahir filed his nomination from Chandrapur, in the presence of state finance minister Sudhir Mungantiwar. Congress has pitted Suresh Dhanorkar, sitting Shiv Sena MLA who defected to the Congress, by announcing his candidature on Sunday. The party had earlier announced Vinayak Bangade as its candidate, but uproar among the party workers over choice forced the party to replace him with Dhanorkar.

Other Congress candidates Manikrao Thakre (Yavatmal), Charulata Tokas (Wardha) too filed their nominations at respective district collectorates on Monday.

Shiv Sena’s sitting MP Bhawana Gawli filed her nomination in the presence of party leader and Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray.

BJP’s sitting MPs Pritam Munde (Beed), Sanjay Dhotre (Akola) and Ashok Nete (Gadchiroli-Chimur) were other party candidates to file their nominations.

Tension prevailed in Beed after leader of opposition in Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde held a rally after filing nomination of NCP’s Beed candidate Bajrang Sonawane. The district administration had denied permission to the rally.

In Solapur, former chief minister and Congress leader Sushilkumar Shinde is facing tough challenge because of the candidature of Prakash Ambedkar. BJP has fielded Siddheshwar Swami as its candidate from the constituency. Three of them filed their nominations on Monday.

Another former chief minister and Maharashtra Congress chief Ashok Chavan filed his nomination from Nanded constituency in Central Maharashtra. Incidentally, his wife and party MLA Ameeta too has filed nomination from the constituency, but party leaders said her nomination was ‘dummy.’

Most of the candidates have filed multiple nominations to safeguard the claim in case of rejections for technical errors.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Raosaheb Danve goofed up once again.

Speaking at a party meeting, Danve inadvertently said that Pakistan had killed 40 terrorists, instead of CRPF jawans, a video clip of which went viral. The Congress slammed Danve over the issue.

Earlier, the state BJP chief had kicked up a controversy with his remarks that farmers were cribbing, even though the government was giving them enough.

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