Maharashtra, Haryana nominations live: Devendra Fadnavis is seeking re-election from Nagpur South West
Today is the last date for filing nominations for Maharshtra and Haryana assembly polls. The deadline for withdrawing them is October 7. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda filed nominations this morning.
Union minister Nitin Gadkar along with a large number of BJP workers were present during the filing of nomination papers by Mr Fadnavis in Nagpur. Mr Fadnavis, the first BJP chief minister of the state, is seeking re-election from the Nagpur South West seat.
These are the first state polls after the national election, which the BJP won by a landslide, clearing the way for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second term. The term of the Haryana assembly ends on November 2, and Maharashtra's on November 9. There are 1.82 crore voters in Haryana, Maharashtra has 8.9 crore voters.
Here are the live updates of the last date of nomination filing of Maharashtra and Haryana Assembly polls:
Devendra Fadnavis, Ajit Fadnavis file nominations- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and NCP leader Ajit Pawar were among the prominent Maharashtra candidates who filed nominations for the October 21 Assembly polls on Friday, the last day to submit the papers.
- Mr Fadnavis, the first BJP chief minister of the state, filed his papers from the Nagpur South-West constituency.
- He was accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari and Maharashtra minister and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil.
- Mr Fadnavis is being challenged by Congress's Ashish Deshmukh from the seat.
- Mr Pawar filed nomination from the Baramati segment he currently represents in the assembly. The former Maharashtra deputy chief minister is pitted against BJP's Gopichand Padalkar in Baramati in Pune district.
- The last date of filing nomination papers is October 4, while the date for their scrutiny is October 5. Nominations can be withdrawn till October 7.
- The result of the election to the 288-seat Assembly will be out on October 24.
Devendra Fadnavis seeks blessing of people before filing nomination- Devendra Fadnavis sought people's blessings before filing his nomination. He was accompanied by Union minister Nitin Gadkari.
Rahul Gandhi to campaign for Maharashtra, Haryana polls - Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will start campaigning for the ensuing Assembly polls in Maharashtra and Haryana after Dussehra festivities, party sources said this morning.
- He will hold roadshows and rallies in favour of the party candidates of Haryana and Maharashtra from October 10 to 19.
- A detailed program will be prepared after Mr Gandhi's office will hold discussions with party workers of both the states, the sources added.
- He opted out of the central election committee meetings of Congress to select the candidates for Maharashtra and Haryana. Now, this will be his first campaign after resignation from the top party post.
Nitesh Rane, who led "mud attack", is BJP candidate in Maharashtra- Nitesh Rane, a former Congress MLA and son of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane, joined the BJP, weeks before the October 21 state polls.
- Seen by critics to be a controversy-magnet, Nitesh Rane, 37, will contest the Maharashtra polls from his Kankavli seat, which he won in the 2014 polls as a Congress candidate. He had then defeated BJP MLA Pramod Jathar.
- His father Narayan Rane, who founded the Maharashtra Swabhiman Party in 2017 after quitting the Congress, has spoken of merging the outfit with the BJP, with whose support he is now a Rajya Sabha member.
Haryana polls: Bhupinder Singh Hooda files nomination- Haryana assembly polls: Former chief minister of Haryana and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda files his nomination from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi.
Jannayak Janta Party fields ex-Congress MLA Anita Yadav's son from Ateli- The Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) on Friday announced the names of five candidates for the upcoming Haryana assembly polls.
- According to the seventh list declared on the last day of filing nomination papers, the JJP has fielded former Congress legislator Anita Yadav''s son Samrat from Ateli segment.
- The Assembly elections in Haryana will take place on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.
- Today is the last day for filing nominations.
- The party also announced candidates for the Nalwa, Bhiwani, Tosham and Ferozepur Jhirka segments.
- A party spokesperson said JJP, which is contesting the Assembly polls independently, has now announced candidates for all the 90 segments.
- The JJP had announced the names of 15 candidates in the first list on September 13.
- Party leader Dushyant Chautala is fighting the elections from the Uchana Kalan segment and once again taking on BJP's sitting MLA Prem Lata, who had defeated him in the previous Assembly polls.
- Mr Chautala had had entered the fray despite being a sitting MP of INLD from Hisar.
- Mr Dushyant's mother and Dabwali MLA Naina Chautala has been shifted to the Badhra constituency in Charkhi Dadri district, where she will take on BJP incumbent Sukhwinder Sheoran and Ranbir Mahendra of the Congress.
- The JJP came into existence last year after a split in the INLD following a feud within the Chautala clan.
Wont take part in assembly election campaign: Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam
- Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam, openly resentful of his leadership for "ignoring" his views on candidates for the October 21 Maharashtra election, predicted today that the party would lose all but "three-four" seats in Mumbai. He also alleged a conspiracy within the Congress to throw out people close to Rahul Gandhi.
- "The way candidates have been chosen, in Mumbai, you can leave aside three or four seats. In all the rest, the Congress will lose its deposit (lose so badly that it has to forfeit its deposit money)," said Sanjay Nirupam, speaking to reporters a day after going public against his party in tweets.
- Reasserting that he would not campaign for the Congress in the Maharashtra polls, he told reporters: "Now I will see you only on October 24, the day of the results."
- Mr Nirupam, 54, railed against what he described as a clueless leadership that had not taken any advice or even feedback from the grassroots while deciding on candidates.
- "The people in Delhi are not recognizing the truth...I condemn such decisions taken without thinking. That is why I said I would not campaign at all," said Mr Nirupam.
- The only leader that the three-time MP and former Mumbai Congress chief named in his attack was Mallikarjun Kharge, the general secretary in-charge of the Maharashtra polls.
- "I took four potential candidates to Mr Kharge. He did not even speak to them and all four were rejected," Mr Nirupam said.
- Former chief minister of Haryana and Congress leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda performs "hawan" ahead of filing his nomination from Garhi Sampla-Kiloi for the upcoming elections to the legislative assembly of Haryana.
Devendra Fadnavis takes out rally before filing nomination- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is seeking re-election from Nagpur South West, is taking out a rally along with Union minister Nitin Gadkari, before filing his nomination. Today is the last day for filing nominations for the assembly elections. He is on his way to file his nomination from Nagpur South West.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis meets Union Minister Nitin Gadkari- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, along with his wife met Union Minister Nitin Gadkari at latter's residence in Nagpur. Devendra Fadnavis will file his nomination later today from Nagpur South West for the upcoming elections to the legislative assembly of Maharashtra on October 21.
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife Amruta sought blessings of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari and his wife Kanchan earlier today, before filing his nomination from Nagpur South West.
Capt Abhimanyu, Randeep Surjewala file nominations- Haryana minister Captain Abhimanyu, Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala and INLD's Abhay Singh Chautala were among the 475 candidates who have filed their nominations, the penultimate day of filing papers for the state assembly polls.
- Among others who filed their nominations were Haryana BJP chief Subhash Barala, Haryana ministers Kavita Jain, O P Dhankar and ruling party candidate sportsperson-turned-politician Babita Phogat.
- A galaxy of senior BJP leaders accompanied party candidates in their respective constituencies when they filed their papers.
- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who already filed his nomination from Karnal, accompanied Captain Abhimanyu, who filed his papers from Narnaund constituency.
- Union minister Narendra Tomar was present when O P Dhankar filed his nomination from Badli constituency.
- Meanwhile, Mr Surjewala filed his nomination papers from Kaithal constituency.
- Addressing a group of supporters before filing the papers, he said unemployment, corruption, deterioration of law and order, and the problems faced by farmers and other sections were key issues in the polls.
- Another senior Congress leader Kuldeep Bishnoi, who filed his nomination from Adampur, told reporters that the issues in Lok Sabha and assembly polls are different.
- He was responding to a question on whether the BJP's performance in the state in the Lok Sabha polls earlier this year, during which it had swept all the 10 seats, would have a bearing in the upcoming assembly polls.
- On BJP fielding actress Sonali Phogat against him, Mr Bishnoi said, "She is welcome in Adampur. We will welcome her by offering 'halwa' and 'pudee' but she will not get votes here."
- Meanwhile, INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala filed his nomination papers from Ellenabad.
Maharashtra polls: Congress fields Nana Patole from Sakoli- Weeks before the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Congress party has announced Nana Patole as its candidate from Sakoli constituency.
- Mr Patole is chairman of Congress Campaign Committee for Maharashtra elections. He will contest against BJP's Parinay Phuke.
- On Thursday, Congress also released its fourth list of 19 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly polls and fielded former BJP MLA Ashish Deshmukh as its candidate from Nagpur South West seat against Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Congress releases names of 19 Maharashtra candidates, Sanjay Nirupam upset- Amid a threat by senior Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam to quit the party, the Congress released the names of candidates for the remaining 19 seats.
- The party has replaced candidates for Nandurbar and Sillod Assembly seats. While in Nandurbar, it has replaced Mohan Pawan Singh with Udesingh K Padvi, in Sillod, Khaiser Azad has replaced Prabhakar Manikrao Palodkar.
- The party has nominated Anand Shukla from Ghatkopar West and Sajid Khan from Akola West.
- Mr Nirupam had earlier tweeted, "It seems the Congress Party doesn't want my services anymore. I had recommended just one name in Mumbai for Assembly election. Heard that even that has been rejected. As I had told the leadership earlier, in that case I will not participate in poll campaign. It's my final decision."
- Later, he added it was not the time to quit.
- The party has fielded two former Chief Ministers -- Prithviraj Chavan from Karad South and Ashok Chavan from Bhokar. Maharashtra will go to polls on October 21. The Congress is contesting 125 seats of the 288-member Assembly.
Marathi actress Deepali Sayed joins Shiv Sena- Marathi actress Deepali Sayed on Thursday joined Shiv Sena in the presence of party chief Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya Thackeray.
- Ms Sayed said that she will contest from Mumbra-Kalwa Assembly constituency in the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections.
- Assembly elections will be held in Maharashtra on October 21, while counting of votes will take place on October 24.
BJP drops Eknath Khadse, fields his daughter from Muktainagar seat in north Maharashtra- The BJP this morning 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.
- He had to resign as revenue minister in 2016 and has not been 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.
- Mr Khadse, 67, had filed his nomination papers from the seat this week as an Independent candidate.
- The party also dropped cabinet minister Tawde and fielded Sunil Rane from Borivali seat.
- BJP and Shiv Sena are the main constituents of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra.
- As many as 597 nomination forms have been received from candidates till date (October 3) in the Marathwada region of the state. The highest number of forms - 135 - has been received in Nanded district.
- The highest number of forms - 464 - were received on Thursday, the penultimate day of submitting nominations. The region in central Maharashtra has 46 assembly constituencies spread across eight districts.
- The total number of forms submitted till now are: Aurangabad 98, Jalna 77, Parbhani 49, Nanded 135, Latur 67, Beed 114, Hingoli 26 and Osmanabad 31.
- Maharashtra minister Jaydutt Kshirsagar of the Shiv Sena filed papers from Beed in Maharashtra. Before submitting his papers, he took out a rally in Beed city.
- NCP leader Vijay Singh Pandit and BJP MLA Laxman Pawar filed their nominations from the Georai constituency in Beed district. From the same seat, Shiv Sena leader Badamrao Pandit has entered the fray as an independent.
- BJP candidate Namita Mundada filed her nomination from Kej, from where former MLC Prithviraj Sathe has entered the fray on an NCP ticket.
- BJP MLA Bhimrao Dhonde filed nomination from Ashti, from where Balasaheb Ajbe of the NCP has entered the fray. Sitting MLAs Devyani Pharande, Seema Hiray and Nirmala Gavit were prominent candidates who filed their nomination papers on Thursday in Nashik district.
- BJP MLA Pharande filed her nomination from Nashik Central, while Hiray, another sitting legislator of the ruling party, submitted papers to contest from Nashik West.
- Shiv Sena MLA Yogesh Gholap also filed his nomination from the Nashik Road-Deolali seat.
- MLA Nirmala Gavit, who joined the Shiv Sena after quitting the Congress, filed her nomination from Igatpuri. The Congress-NCP "mahaaghadi" (grand alliance) candidate and sitting MLA Asif Sheikh submitted his papers from Malegaon Central.
- n Latur, Congress MLA Amit Deshmukh filed papers from Latur (City). His younger brother Dheeraj Deshmukh, contesting his maiden Assembly election, submitted nomination papers from the Latur (Rural) constituency.
- Both were accompanied by family members, including their brother and Bollywood actor Riteish Deshmukh, and party workers. Former Maharashtra minister and Congress leader Naseem Khan filed papers in Mumbai's Chandivali.
- Sitting NCP MLA Jitendra Awhad in Maharashtra filed his papers from the Kalwa-Mumbra constituency in Thane. Party president Sharad Pawar was with him on the occasion.
- NCP chief spokesperson Nawab Malik and Rohit Pawar, party chief Sharad Pawar's grand nephew, filed nominations from Anushakti Nagar and Karjat-Jamkhed seats respectively.
- Another NCP candidate, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde, pitted against his cousin and BJP minister Pankaja Munde in Beed's Parli segment, also filed nomination.
- Dhananjay Munde -- who was accompanied by local Congress and Left leaders too -- paid respects to his uncle, late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, before filing nomination.
- Leader of the Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly Vijay Wadettiwar of the Congress filed papers from Brahmapuri in Chandrapur district.
- Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and state ministers Sudhir Mungantiwar and Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil are set to file their respective nominations today.
- Before this, a rally will be taken out from Samvidhan Square and it will conclude at the District Collector office at around 11 pm.
- Mr Fadnavis, the first BJP chief minister of the state, is seeking reelection from the Nagpur South West seat.
- BJP's Chandrakant Patil, Maharashtra BJP chief, filed nomination from Pune's Kothrud constituency.
- He was accompanied by party's Pune MP Girish Bapat and sitting Kothrud MLA Medha Kulkarni. The MLA was denied ticket this time to make way for Mr Patil.
Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray files nomination- Shiv Sena youth leader Aaditya Thackeray, BJP's Chandrakant Patil and Dhananjay Munde of the NCP were among the key leaders who filed nominations on Thursday for the October 21 Maharashtra Assembly polls.
- The Election Commission said a total of 1,423 candidates filed nominations across the state on Thursday, the penultimate day to submit papers.
- Till now, the EC has received 1,969 nominations from across the state, which has a 288-member assembly.
- Aaditya Thackeray, who has become the first member of the Thackeray clan to take plunge into electoral politics, is contesting from the Worli Assembly segment in Mumbai.
- He was accompanied by his father, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, and mother Rashmi while filing nomination papers.
Haryana polls: Dushyant Chautala to take on BJP's Prem Lata from Uchana Kalan- On the penultimate day of the filing of nomination papers, the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) announced 43 more candidates for the upcoming Haryana assembly polls. So far, the party has announced 85 names.
- According to the list, party leader Dushyant Chautala will fight the elections from the Uchana Kalan segment and once again take on BJP's sitting MLA Prem Lata.
- Dushyant's mother and Dabwali MLA Naina Chautala has been shifted to the Badhra constituency in Charkhi Dadri district, where she will take on BJP incumbent Sukhwinder Sheoran and Congress's Ranbir Mahendra.
- If Ms Naina would have been fielded from Dabwali, she would have locked horns with Aditya Devilal, a grandson of former deputy prime minister Devi Lal.
- He has been fielded by the BJP and the JJP's move to shift their candidate appears to have been taken to avoid a split in votes.
- Ms Naina's name was announced by the JJP in the fifth list of five candidates released by the party on Thursday evening. By late evening, the party announced names of eight more candidates.
- Earlier in the day, the party announced 30 candidates.
- Mr Dushyant, a former MP from Hisar will take on Prem Lata, who had defeated him from the constituency by a margin of over 7,000 votes in the 2014 assembly polls.
- The assembly elections in Haryana will take place on October 21 and the results will be declared on October 24.
- Uchana Kalan in Jind district has been a bastion of former Union minister Birender Singh, who represented the seat five times.
- Mr Singh's wife Prem Lata, a sitting MLA, was re-nominated by the BJP for the assembly elections.
- Ms Lata had defeated Dushyant in the 2014 polls when he had entered the fray despite being a sitting MP of the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) from Hisar.
- Mr Dushyant also tasted defeat at the hands of bureaucrat-turned-politician Brijendra Singh of the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls from Hisar this year.
- Mr Brijendra is the son of Prem Lata and Birender Singh, who is at present a Rajya Sabha MP.
- So fierce has been the political rivalry between Birender Singh and the Chautala family that Dushyant's grandfather and former Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala had shifted to Uchana Kalan in 2009 when the Narwana seat in Jind was declared reserved after a delimitation exercise.
- In 2009, O P Chautala, who is the INLD president, had defeated Birender Singh from Uchana Kalan by a narrow margin of 621 votes.
- Both Mr Dushyant and Birender Singh come from prominent Jat families of the state and Jind district is considered the political heartland of Haryana.
- The list released earlier in the day included the name of former BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who was dismissed in 2017 after he posted a video complaining about the quality of food being served to soldiers.
- He has been fielded from Karnal to take on Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. Among those fielded by the party is former MLA Arjun Singh, who will be contesting from Jagadhri.
- The JJP, which came into existence after a split in the INLD following a feud within the Chautala clan, is contesting the polls independently.