In preparation for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction (Shiv Sena UBT) announced its first list of 65 candidates on Wednesday. With the elections set to take place on November 20 in a single phase across all 288 constituencies, the political landscape of Maharashtra is heating up as parties begin to declare their candidates.

The announcement comes as part of Shiv Sena UBT?s preparations, with the party forming an alliance under the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which includes the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The MVA is gearing up for a fierce battle against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Mahayuti alliance, which consists of BJP, the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena, and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.

The Election Commission of India has announced that the results for the Maharashtra elections will be declared on November 23, alongside the Jharkhand Assembly results. Jharkhand will see voting in two phases, on November 13 and November 20, while Maharashtra will conduct its election in a single phase.

The first list of candidates marks a significant step for Shiv Sena UBT as they strategically position themselves in key constituencies to strengthen their presence across the state. With the political environment intensifying, the 2024 elections are expected to witness a contest between two major alliances ? the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the BJP-led Mahayuti.