Congress announces second list of 23 candidates for Maharashtra Assembly, seats allocated in key MVA strongholds

The Congress party on Saturday announced its second list of 23 candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections, following a Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting. This brings the party's declared candidates to a total of 71 out of 288 seats in the assembly. The list includes candidates for several high-stakes constituencies as Congress seeks to strengthen its presence in key areas of Maharashtra.

Girish Krushnarao Pandav has been selected to contest the Nagpur South constituency, where he will challenge BJP Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. Nagpur South, a seat previously disputed between Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), was officially allocated to Congress as part of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) seat-sharing arrangement. The Nagpur South decision was finalized amid broader negotiations with alliance partners Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP.

In a notable lineup, Congress has also fielded prominent local leaders including Rajesh Tukaram Manvatkar, Mahesh Gangane from Wardha, and Shekhar Pramodbabu Shende. These leaders have strong political footholds in their respective areas and are expected to play key roles in Congress's campaign strategy across the state. Additionally, Anuja Kedar, wife of former MLA Sunil Kedar, will contest from Savner. Sunil Kedar faced disqualification following a corruption conviction, making Anuja’s selection a significant development in Savner's political landscape.

Another change involves the Shrirampur constituency, where Congress has replaced incumbent MLA Lahu Kanade with Hemant Ogale. This shift reflects Congress’s approach of introducing new candidates to strengthen their positions in contested regions. The party’s second list comes after extensive deliberations within the Congress Central Election Committee, emphasizing their aim to contest crucial seats across Maharashtra.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting set for November 23. Under the MVA's coalition agreement, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP will each contest 85 seats. The MVA's coalition strategy aims to consolidate votes in key districts to counter the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction.