Weeks before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chief Uddhav Thackeray has expelled five rebel leaders for "anti-party activities." As per reports, the five leaders were expelled from the party for failing to withdraw their nominations filed for the polls on November 20.
The five expelled rebel leaders have been identified as -
Bhiwandi East MLA Rupesh Mhatre
Vishwas Nandekar
Chandrakant Ghugul
Sanjay Awari
Prasad Thackeray
For the Maharashtra assembly polls, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Sharad Pawar's NCP have come together to form the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance.
From this alliance, 14 leaders had filed their nominations, defying party command. However, on Monday, Congress' Mukhtar Shaikh withdrew from the Kasba Peth assembly constituency in Pune and declared his support for the party's official candidate Ravindra Dhangekar.
Madhurima Raje Chhatrapati also withdrew as a Congress candidate from Kolhapur North minutes before the deadline. Along with this. Hemalata Patil from Nashik Central, Madhu Chavan from Byculla and Vishwanath Walvi from Nandurbar lso withdrew their nominations.
Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange also withdrew from the race and declared his support for the two candidates from Parvati and Daund in the assembly polls.
After the withdrawals across the alliance, a total of 4,140 candidates are now left in the fray for 288 legislative assembly seats.
Maharashtra will head to the polls on November 20, 2024 in a single phase. The results and counting of votes will be held on November 23.
