LATUR: As many as 87 candidates withdrew their nomination in six meeting constituencies in Maharastra’s Latur district on Monday, leaving 106 candidates within the ballot fray, an official mentioned. In Nilanga, former chief minister Dr Shivajirao Patil Nilangekar’s son and Congress’ state secretary Ashok Patil Nilangekar, who had determined to contest as unbiased, withdrew his nomination, whereas BJP insurgent Vishwajeet Gaikwad exited the competition in Udgir, bringing aid to Mahayuti candidate NCP’s Sanjay Bansode.
Eleven out of the 34 candidates have stepped again in Latur metropolis, 19 in Latur Rural, 22 in Ahmedpur, 9 every in Udgir (reserved) and Nilanga and 17 in Ausa, the official mentioned. In Ausa, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Santosh Somwanshi, who joined the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and filed his nomination, withdrew from the fray. Somwanshi was confronted by offended VBA staff and police needed to intervene to make sure his security.
Somwanshi had initially filed his nomination papers as Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate, which was rejected, whereas the one submitted on behalf of the VBA was accepted. By the way, Somwanshi, who was appointed because the Shiv Sena (UBT) Latur district chief on Sunday. Monday was the final day to withdraw nomination for the November 20 elections. Votes might be counted on November 23.
District collector and election officer Varsha Thakur-Ghuge mentioned there are 2,143 polling stations in all six constituencies, together with 40 new ones. The district has registered 76,000 new voters. Of the 20,45,591 voters, 10,65,915 are male, and 9,76,767 are feminine, she mentioned.
