Maharashtra elections: Milind Deora to contest against Aaditya Thackeray in key Worli constituency

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are set to take place on November 20, with results to be declared on November 23. In a significant development, the Shiv Sena faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has announced Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora as its candidate for the Worli constituency. This announcement follows a day after Aaditya Thackeray from the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction filed his nomination for the same seat.

Milind Deora, a three-time MP from South Mumbai, has recently shifted his political allegiance from the Congress party to the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena. He has been tasked with campaigning in the Worli constituency, a seat historically associated with the Thackeray family. In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate managed to secure a lead of just 6,500 votes in this constituency.

Aaditya Thackeray, the son of former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, has expressed confidence in his campaign, asserting that he enjoys strong support from the electorate. Thackeray filed his nomination for the Worli seat on Thursday, highlighting the positive atmosphere during his interactions with voters. He stated, "I am very confident that the people will bless me because we are about to form government in Maharashtra."

In addition to Thackeray and Deora, Sandeep Deshpande from the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is also contesting in Worli. Deshpande has begun his campaign by criticizing Aaditya Thackeray’s accessibility to the electorate. In the 2017 municipal elections, Deshpande garnered around 33,000 votes in the Worli constituency, indicating a potential challenge for the Thackeray camp.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) is aware of the competitive nature of the upcoming elections, especially given the close vote margins in the previous contests. Party leaders assert that Aaditya Thackeray's reputation and previous work in the area will resonate positively with voters, despite the challenges posed by rival candidates.

As the election date approaches, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance—which includes the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), BJP, and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction)—and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress, are ramping up their campaign efforts. The outcome of these elections will be crucial in determining the political landscape of Maharashtra.