Mumbai: With the Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 less than a month away, the political parties have started releasing its list of candidates. After Lok Sabha 2024 polls, the state elections will be second such direct face-off between Mahayuti and Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The Mahayuti taking step ahead, has released its first list of candidates, while the MVA is still finalising the names.
The ruling Mahayuti consists of BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, and all three parties have released their first lists of candidates, including CM Eknath Shinde renominated from Kopri and both his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar been renominated from their home seats, Nagpur and Baramati respectively.
Kopri-Pachpakhadi - A Hot Seat
This is probably the first assembly election in Maharashtra with so many parties in the fray. After the division in Shiv Sena and NCP, the people of Maharashtra now have six major parties to vote for.
Among the key constituencies in Maharashtra, Kopri-Pachpakhadi (147) would be at the top as CM Eknath Shinde is the sitting MLA and renominated from here. The Kopri constituency falls in Thane city, Shinde's home city and political bastion. Shinde has been MLA from Kopri since 2009. From 2004 to 2009 he was MLA from Thane constituency.
Will Sena UBT Field Candidate Against Eknath Shinde?
The constituency is in focus this election due to clash between factions of Shiv Sena. As Kopri-Pachpakhadi falls in Thane city which is broadly considered a bastion of Shiv Sena with a large Maharashtrian population. The MP from Thane Lok Sabha constituency is Eknath Shinde’s right-hand Naresh Mhaske who defeated the sitting MP- Rajan Vichare from Shiv Sena (UBT) in Lok Sabha 2024 polls.
#WATCH | Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde says, " We are here for the darshan of 'Maa Kamakhya'...this is the first list (of candidates for Maharashtra Assembly election), next 2nd list will come...we will contest the elections and Mahayuti will win..." https://t.co/gatwoCIwdK pic.twitter.com/fSay8BqptW
— ANI (@ANI) October 22, 2024
Kopri constituency will be a prestige issue for both, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Shiv Sena (Shinde) factions for assembly polls. Although, the Sena UBT has not announced its candidates yet, the party could field a candidate to square-off with Eknath Shinde. However, it is unclear if the MVA leaves the seat for Congress.
Past Assembly Poll Results
The Shiv Sena has been single-handedly leading the Thane region in legislative assembly elections. For the Kopri-Pachpakhadi constituency, Eknath Shinde has been the sitting MLA since 2009 and has won by a higher margin than his opponents, displaying Shinde’s stronghold. In 2019, Shinde won against Congress candidate Pandurang Ghadigaonkar with a hefty margin of 89,300 votes. In 2014, he won against BJP candidate Sandeep Lele with a margin of 51,869 votes.
Performance In Lok Sabha 2024 Polls
Kopri-Pachpakhadi is one of the six assemblies falling in Thane Lok Sabha constituency, from where Eknath Shinde's close-aide Naresh Mhaske won against Sena UBT's Rajan Vichare. Thane district being the Shinde's bastion, it was crucial for Mahayuti to win the seat.
The voters in the Thane LS constituency gave Mhaske 7,34,231 votes and Vichare got 5,17,220. Of the total votes, Mhaske got 1,11,135 votes from Kopri-Packpakhadi assembly and Vichare got 66,260 votes.
#WATCH | Guwahati, Assam: After offering prayers at Kamakhya Temple, Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde says, "I came here last time too. I came here before the formation of government and after the government was formed. This time too I have come here. People will vote for Mahayuti on… pic.twitter.com/JqamToUcu2
— ANI (@ANI) October 23, 2024
About Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly Seat
The seat is not reserved and is allotted for General Category candidates. For 2024 elections, the Mahayuti alliance left the Kopri seat for the Shiv Sena and as expected CM Shinde has been re-nominated. Whom the MVA fields against Shinde is to be seen.
During the 2019 assembly elections, the registered voters in Kopri-Pachpakhadi were 3,52,995 of which male voters were 1,93,980 and female voters were 1,59,005. The voter turnout for this constituency was 49.2 per cent.
Current situation in Maharashtra Assembly:
Currently, the ruling disposition in Maharashtra has 202 MLAs with it. Out of these, BJP has 102 seats, NCP (Ajit Pawar) has 40, Shiv Sena (Shinde) has 38 and other parties have 24.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has 69 seats in its kitty. Out of these, Congress has 37, Shiv Sena (UBT) has 16, NCP (Sharad Pawar) has 12 and other parties have six seats. Fifteen seats are vacant.
The election for the 288 assembly constituencies in Maharashtra will be held in a single phase on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23.