Maharashtra Lok Sabha Election 2024: Key Battles in Fifth Phase Polls Grab Spotlight as Voters Head to Polling Booths Today

Mumbai: After a flurry of allegations and counter-allegations in the fourth phase of campaigning, 11 constituencies in the state are going to polls on Monday, May 13th for the fifth phase of polls. Sitting ministers such as Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, Dhananjay Munde, Dr. Vijaykumar Gavit are the sitting ministers and legislator K.C. Padvi and Eknath Khadse have a lot at stake during this phase as their relatives contest for the polls. 

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Polling began at 7 am in 11 Lok Sabha constituencies of Nandurbar, Jalgaon, Raver, Jalna, Aurangabad, Maval, Pune, Shirur, Ahmednagar, Shirdi and Beed. The Election Commission has taken special measures at polling booths to ensure that voters do not suffer from heat stroke.

The focus will be on these contests 

Ahmednagar: Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil has put all his strength behind his son Sujay. He is pitted against Nilesh Lankay of the Sharad Pawar faction.  

Beed: Former minister Pankaja Munde's brother Dhananjay Munde has come out strongly to get her elected. Pankaja is facing a challenge from Bajrang Sonawane of the Sharad Pawar faction.    

Aurangabad: Shinde Sena's Sandipan Bhumre, Uddhav Sena's Chandrakant Khaire and AIMIM's Imtiaz Jaleel are in a triangular contest.    

Shirur: The battle between the two factions of the NCP is seen as 'Shivaji vs Sambhaji' as actor Amol Kolhe of the Sharad Pawar faction is contesting against Shivajirao Adal Patil of Ajit Pawar group.  

Nandurbar: A contest between the daughter of a sitting minister versus the son of a former minister. It remains to be seen if Dr Hina Gavit of BJP, daughter of Dr Vijaykumar Gavit will score a hat-trick of victories by defeating Goval Padvi, son of legislator K.C. Padvi  

Jalgaon: Uddhav Sena's Karan Pawar is pitted against BJP's Smita Wagh.  Karan Pawar has the support of outgoing BJP MP Unmesh Patil, which is considered to be a BJP versus BJP fight.  

Raver: Former minister Eknath Khadse's daughter-in-law Raksha Khadse of the BJP and Shriram Patil of the Sharad Pawar faction are in a straight fight.