Union Minister Piyush Goyal, accompanied by BJP leaders Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Ashish Shelar, traveled by a local train on Thursday following his visit to the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai. This move comes after the BJP released its second list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, which includes Goyal as the party's nominee for the Mumbai North constituency. The announcement, made on Wednesday, signifies significant changes and additions to the BJP's electoral lineup for the impending polls.
Goyal expressed his reverence for the Siddhivinayak Temple, stating, "I did 'darshan' in the Siddhivinayak temple, which reminds me of my old days when I used to come here and stand in the queue at 3 am." He exuded confidence in the spirit of Mumbai, affirming, "I am fully confident that our Mumbai brothers and sisters are hell-bent on making India 'Viksit Bharat'."
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Piyush Goyal, a prominent figure in Indian politics and governance, is set to undergo his first electoral challenge in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Goyal, a top minister in the Narendra Modi government for the past decade, has held significant portfolios including power, railways, and coal. Currently serving as the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, he also leads the House in the Rajya Sabha. His nomination for the Lok Sabha elections marks a significant transition, given his previous three terms in the Rajya Sabha. Hailing from Mumbai, Goyal will contest from the Mumbai North constituency, replacing incumbent Gopal Shetty.
With a familial legacy deeply rooted in politics, Goyal's father, the late Vedprakash Goyal, served as Union Minister of Shipping and national treasurer of the BJP for over two decades. His mother, Chandrakanta Goyal, held three terms in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Goyal's contributions as Rail Minister notably led to India achieving its best-ever safety record of zero passenger deaths in rail accidents. Additionally, as Power, Coal, and New & Renewable Energy Minister, he oversaw the successful implementation of the world’s largest LED bulb distribution program (UJALA).
During his brief tenure as acting Finance Minister in the absence of Arun Jaitley, Goyal presented a highly acclaimed budget in 2019, just prior to the Lok Sabha elections. Notably, he holds the distinction of being the only chartered accountant to have presented the Union Budget as finance minister. After 35 years in politics, Goyal returns to his roots in Mumbai, seeking votes from his home base as he embarks on his electoral campaign.
Here is the full list of BJP candidates and their respective constituencies from Maharashtra:
Candidate Name | Constituency |
|---|---|
Nitin Jairam Gadkari | Nagpur |
Piyush Goyal | Mumbai North |
Dr Heena Vijaykumar Gavit | Nadurbar (ST) |
Dr Subhash Ramrao Bhamre | Dhule |
Smita Wagh | Jalgaon |
Raksha Nikhil Khadase | Raver |
Anup Dhotre | Akola |
Ramdas Chandrabhanji Tadas | Wardha |
Sudhir Mungantiwar | Chandrapur |
Prataprao Patil Chikhalikar | Nanded |
Raosaheb Dadarao Danve | Jalna |
Bharati Pravin Pawar | Dindori (ST) |
Kapil Moreshwar Patil | Bhiwandi |
Mihir Kotecha | Mumbai North East |
Murlidhar Kisan Mohol | Pune |
Sujay Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil | Ahmadnagar |
Pankaja Munde | Beed |
Sudhakar Tukaram Shrangare | Latur (SC) |
Ranjeetsinha Hindurao Naik-Nimbalkar | Madha |
Sanjaykaka Patil | Sangli |