In a surprising turn for Maharashtra's upcoming Assembly elections, candidates from the Grand Alliance (Mahayuti) and the Mahavikas Aghadi have started filing rival nominations against each other. With the deadline for filing applications closing today at 3 pm, on Tuesday, candidates from both alliances staged large rallies to showcase their support. However, a wave of internal rebellion has now emerged, with parties in each alliance fielding candidates against their own coalition partners, complete with official party AB forms, signaling potential division within the Grand Alliance.
In Nashik district, the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) submitted candidates against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP - Ajit Pawar faction) in the Dindori and Deolali constituencies, escalating tensions. Former MLA Dhanraj Mahale, backed by Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction), filed an independent candidature against NCP candidate Narahari Zirwal in Dindori, attaching Shiv Sena’s official AB form.
Similarly, in Deolali, former tehsildar of Nashik, Rajshree Ahirrao, filed her independent candidature against NCP's Saroj Ahire. Ahirrao’s nomination also included Shiv Sena’s AB form, indicating a clear conflict between coalition partners in this constituency as well.
The situation is no different in Nashik Central, where NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) city president Ranjan Thakare filed an independent nomination against BJP’s Devyani Pharade, intensifying the internal rift in the Grand Alliance. Additionally, NCP's Sameer Bhujbal has filed an independent candidacy against Suhas Kande, Shiv Sena’s candidate in Nandgaon, further adding to the Grand Alliance's challenges.
The picture for the Maharashtra Assembly election remains unclear, and the final candidate lineup will become evident only after potential withdrawals are processed. This unexpected rebellion has cast doubts over the unity of the alliances, adding uncertainty as the campaign moves forward.