The Shiv Sena today announced two candidates for the Nashik and Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg local authorities constituencies for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, scheduled to be held next month.
A total of six local authorities constituencies would go to polls on May 21.
The move is viewed as a snub to the overtures of the BJP, which heads the NDA government in Maharashtra, for a pre-poll alliance.
Sticking to its announcement earlier this year that the party would contest all future elections solo without any alliance, the Sena announced the names of Narendra Darade and Rajeev Sable for Nashik and Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg constituencies, respectively.
The BJP had recently announced the names of two candidates for the elections to Nashik and Konkan division Teachers constituencies, likely to be held in June-July this year.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 20 had announced the poll schedule for the six local authorities constituencies in the state.
The six local authorities constituencies going to polls are: Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Nashik, Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli, Parbhani-Hingoli, Amravati, and Osmanabad-Latur-Beed
Out of the six seats, three are currently held by the NCP, two by the BJP and one by the Congress.
The names of candidates are: Sunil Tatkare, NCP, Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, Jaywantrao Jadhav, NCP (Nashik), Mitesh Bhangdiya, BJP (Wardha-Chandrapur-Gadchiroli), Abdullah Khan A Latif Khan Durrani, NCP (Parbhani-Hingoli), Pravin Pote, BJP (Amravati), and Dileep Deshmukh, Congress (Osmanabad-Latur-Beed).
Earlier today, Sena president Uddhav Thackeray held a meeting with senior party leaders and office-bearers to decide the party's stance in the legislative council elections, at his residence in suburban Bandra.
A Sena leader said Narendra Darade is a former chairman of Nashik District Cooperative Bank. In the Nashik local authorities constituency, out of the 645 votes, the Sena commands at least 211 votes, whereas the BJP has 180 votes.
However, the Sena might still need the support of the BJP if it wants to ensure comfortable victory for Darade, he said.
Rajeev Sabale (Raigad-Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg) is the son of former Congress legislator Ashok Sabale. He was earlier with the NCP and has joined the Sena now.
In the current scenario, if the BJP fields a weak candidate then BJP Rajya Sabha MP and Maharashtra Swabhimani Paksha (MSP) leader Narayan Rane's camp could support sitting NCP MLC Anil D Tatkare, sources said.
As per the election schedule announced by the ECI, the last date for filing of nomination papers is May 3 and the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers is May 7.
The counting of votes and declaration of results will be done on May 24.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)