Anticipation builds for number of candidates for Lok Sabha this year

Filing for candidature will begin from April 18

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: As the filing of candidature for the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Lok Sabha elections commences on April 18, political circles are rife with speculation regarding the number and composition of candidates vying for the seat.

In the previous 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 24 candidates contested for the Aurangabad constituency, with the deposits of 21 candidates subsequently confiscated. The majority of these candidates failed to secure at least 16 percent of the total votes, resulting in the forfeiture of their deposits. Notable contestants in the previous election included Shiv Sena (Thackeray) Chandrakant Khaire who got defeated by MIM MP Imtiaz Jaleel.

Additional candidates such as Subhash Zambad from Congress and independent candidate Harshvardhan Jadhav also faced defeat. With the voter count rising from 18.59 lakh in the last election to 20.35 lakh in the upcoming polls, there's a surge of interest in the political landscape. A notable increase of 1.76 lakh voters has been recorded. The deposit for candidacy in this election stands at Rs 25,000, with a reduced amount of Rs 12,500 for candidates from reserved categories.

Estimating requirement of single EVM

Political analysts foresee the participation of contenders from various alliances, including Mahavikas Aghadi, Mahayuti, MIM, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, and a few independent candidates. The administration is estimating the requirement of a single EVM per polling station.

Happenings between April 18 to 26

Between April 18 and April 26, the electoral process, including candidate application, scrutiny, and withdrawal. It will be clear on April 26, whether the constituency will witness a four-way or multi-way electoral battle.