Mumbai: The BJP on Friday released its fourth list of seven candidates for the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls, dropping senior leader Eknath Khadse and cabinet minister Vinod Tawde.It fielded Eknath Khadse’s daughter Rohini from his Muktainagar constituency in north Maharashtra. The decision to field Rohini Khadse indicates the BJP succeeded in placating her father, who had been representing Muktainagar since 1991.One of the senior-most BJP leaders in Maharashtra, Eknath Khadse had been sidelined in the party following allegations of corruption and that he misused his office in a land deal. As a result, he had to resign as revenue minister in 2016 and was not taken back into the Cabinet by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. Party sources said it was made clear to him that he would not be given ticket this time.Also Read: Maharashtra: Ignored in First BJP List, Eknath Khadse Files Papers as IndependentThe party also dropped cabinet minister Tawde and fielded Sunil Rane from Borivali seat. Khadse, 67, had filed his nomination papers from the seat this week as an Independent candidate.The BJP and Shiv Sena are the main constituents of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.Meanwhile, the Congress on Thursday named 18 more candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, fielding its farmers’ cell chairman Nana Patole from the Sakoli constituency. With this, the Congress has so far announced 141 nominees for the elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.Among the new names released by the party is Sushil Amrutrao Rane from Kankavli after its MLA from there Nitesh Rane joined the BJP. The Congress also replaced two of its candidates. Elections in Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and results will be out on October 24. The Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party are contesting the election together under a pre-poll alliance.The last date of filing nomination papers for the polls to the 288-member assembly is October 4, while the date for their scrutiny is October 5. Nominations can be withdrawn till October 7.(PTI)
