Maharashtra Elections 2024: Congress helpless in Kolhapur as Madhurima Raje pulls out

Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20. Representation pic/iStock

The end of the process to withdraw nominations for Maharashtra assembly polls on Monday left the Congress in despair in Kolhapur North seat after its candidate Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati withdrew.

In Kolhapur, a visually upset Satej Patil expressed dismay at Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati pulling out of the race, which left the Congress without representation in one of its western Maharashtra strongholds.

Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati. Pic/X @Inayasaba

The setback comes after the Congress changed its earlier candidate in the seat, ex-corporator Rajesh Latkar, and nominated her after a party office was vandalised by those opposed to the former. Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati is the daughter-in-law of Kolhapur Lok Sabha MP and royal family member Shahu Chhatrapati. Sources said she may have pulled out of the race due to the negative publicity over the snub to Latkar.

They added the Congress is likely to support Latkar, who is contesting as an independent. Shiv Sena candidates Rajashri Aherrao from Deolali and Dhanraj Mahale from Dindori (District Nashik), who hit the headlines after their AB forms (essential poll documents from the party) were ferried on special aircraft, also withdrew their nominations.

Ex-corporator Rajesh Latkar, whose nomination Congress had to withdraw after those opposed to his candidature vandalised the party office. Pic/X@SarkarnamaNews

The two were fielded by the Shinde-led Sena despite the seats being officially allotted to ally Ajit Pawar-led NCP as part of the Mahayuti's seat sharing agreement.
Voting will take place in 288 seats of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly in a single phase on November 20.

In Latur, 87 withdrawals

As many as 87 candidates withdrew their nomination in six assembly constituencies in Maharastra's Latur district on Monday, leaving 106 candidates in the state poll fray, an official said.

In Nilanga, former chief minister Dr Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar's son and Congress' state secretary Ashok Patil Nilangekar, who had decided to contest as independent, withdrew his nomination, while BJP rebel Vishwajeet Gaikwad exited the contest in Udgir in relief to Mahayuti candidate NCP's Sanjay Bansode.

Eleven out of the 34 candidates have stepped back in Latur city, 19 in Latur Rural, 22 in Ahmedpur, nine each in Udgir (reserved) and Nilanga, and 17 in Ausa, the official said.

In Ausa, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Santosh Somwanshi, who joined the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and filed his nomination, withdrew from the fray. Monday was the last day to withdraw nomination for the November 20 elections. Votes will be counted on November 23.

District collector and election officer Varsha Thakur-Ghuge said there are 2,143 polling stations in all six constituencies, including 40 new ones. The district has registered 76,000 new voters. Of the 20,45,591 voters, 10,65,915 are male, and 9,76,767 are female, she said.

Pune sees 179 withdrawals

A total of 303 candidates are in the fray in 21 assembly seats in Pune district after 179 candidates withdrew nominations on the last of the process on Monday, an official said.

Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23. "A total of 482 candidates had submitted nomination forms. Of these, 179 withdrew, leaving 303 in the fray," a district poll official said.

288
Total No. of assembly seats in state

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