Maharashtra Assembly Polls: MNS declares second list of 45; no mention of Worli candidate yet

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has released its second list with the names of 45 candidates for the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The second list mostly comprises new names who will debut in these elections.

'महाराष्ट्र विधानसभा २०१९ सार्वत्रिक निवडणुकीसाठीची' महाराष्ट्र नवनिर्माण सेनेच्या उमेदवारांची दुसरी यादी... pic.twitter.com/yPUlMGFdhb

— MNS Adhikrut (@mnsadhikrut) October 2, 2019

Incidentally, in the second list too, like the first, the party did not field anyone against Raj's nephew Aaditya Thackeray from the Worli constituency.

Aaditya is the first person from the Thackeray dynasty to contest any election.

Earlier on October 1, the MNS had released its first list of 27 candidates, with former corporator Sandeep Deshpande (Mahim) and its lone corporator Sanjay Turde (Kalina) among prominent names.

In 2009, the MNS shocked political pundits by winning 13 seats in the state Assembly in its political debut.

The presence of the party is expected to have damaged the BJP and Shiv Sena in 53 more seats, leading to the victory of the Congress and NCP.

However, a series of tactical errors and missteps saw the party lose all incumbent seats in 2014, with Sharad Sonawane from Junnar in Pune being the sole victor. Sonawane switched sides to the Shiv Sena before the recent Lok Sabha elections.