180 more candidates file nominations for Maharashtra assembly polls

As many as 180 candidates filed their nomination papers in Maharashtra for the October 15 Assembly elections on Wednesday, taking the total to 320, but major parties stayed away from the process due to bickering among them over allocation of seats in the 288-member House.

According to sources in Maharashtra state electoral office here, 180 candidates filed their papers in different constituencies, taking the total to 320 till now.

Six people filed nomination papers in as many Assembly constituencies in Nashik district, about 200 km from here, sources in the District Collector's office.

Prominent among them was former CPI(M) MLA Jiva Pandu Gavit from Kalwan. Others included Independent nominees like Sanjay Babanrao Sanap (Nandgaon), Alka Mahendra Kedare (Chandwad), Shaikh Ahmed Wahab Fakir Mohmmed (Yeola) and Asolkar Chandrashekhar Prabhakar (Niphad), they said.

No major political party has announced their list of candidates so far. The last date of filing nomination papers is September 27.

Numerous rounds of parleys between leaders of the two main alliances - led by Shiv Sena-BJP and Congress-NCP - over distribution of seats have failed to yield any concrete result, delaying filing of nomination papers by their candidates.

The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) is scheduled to announce its poll agenda tomorrow.

Filing of nominations is likely to gain momentum from September 25.