Maharashtra Election: This Congress leader doesn't want to contest Andheri West seat despite getting ticket. Here's why

Maharashtra Congress general secretary Sachin Sawant asked the party leadership to reconsider his candidature for the Maharashtra Assembly Election 2024. The Congress fielded Sawant from the Andheri West constituency in its third list of 16 candidates. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has fielded sitting MLA Ameet Satam from the seat for the November 20 elections.

Here's why Sachin Sawant doesn want to contest from Andheri West

Sachin Sawant expressed displeasure over being fielded from the Andheri West constituency and has demanded to be fielded Bandra East, a seat where he has “worked extensively.”

Sawant told news agency ANI that he has requested the party that he does not want to contest from Andheri West. "I have spoken about this to my party high command and Ramesh Chennithala. I expected the party to allot Bandra East constituency where I have extensively worked."

"I had not even asked for Andheri West. I have humbly requested the party that I do not want to contest from here. I have left this decision to the party high command," the Congress leader was quoted as saying.

Sawant clarified that, "There is no resentment". He said, “I want the MVA to stay strong and our primary aim is to defeat Mahayuti.”

Meanwhile, Sawant told news agency PTI, "I had asked for Vandre [Bandra] East, but that seat has gone to the Shiv Sena (UBT) [alliance partner]. I have also said there is resentment over my candidature among local congress leaders in Andheri West."

Maharashtra Election

The Congress has so far announced 87 candidates for the Maharashtra polls.

As the polling date draws near, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising the BJP alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have intensified their preparations.

Earlier this week, the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance revealed its seat-sharing arrangement for 255 constituencies, assigning 85 seats to each party. The remaining 23 seats in the state Assembly will be allocated based on their respective party candidate lists.

Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said that each alliance partner, namely Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) will be contesting 85 seats each.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, the Shiv Sena won 56 seats, and the Congress secured 44 seats. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, while the Shiv Sena won 63 and the Congress 42.