NASHIK/MUMBAI: Shiv Sena candidate Hemant Godse and BJP's Union Minister Dr Bharat Pawar on Thursday filed their nominations for Nashik and Dindori Lok Sabha constituencies in North Maharashtra respectively.

Shiv Sena candidate and sitting Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde – son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde – also filed his nomination from Kalyan constituency near Mumbai.

The ruling grand alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP took out a grand procession before Dr Pawar and Godse, both sitting MPs, filed their nominations at the Nashik collector office.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Nashik District Guardian Minister Dadaji Bhuse, Ministers of State Girish Mahajan, Chhagan Bhujba and other leaders of the alliance were present on the occasion.

CM Shinde said Nashik and Dindori are Shiv Sena-BJP strongholds and expressed confidence that both the Mahayuti candidates will win by a huge margin as Prime Minister Narendra Modi has achieved in ten years what the Congress could not do in 60 years of its rule. Could.Notably, Godse had defeated united Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Chhagan Bhujbal from Nashik in 2014 and his nephew Sameer Bhujbal in 2019. Chhagan Bhujbal, now a cabinet minister and a member of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, was keen to contest the elections. This time, but later withdrew from the race.

Godse's main rival in the election will be Rajabhau Waze of Shiv Sena (UBT).

Bharti Pawar was earlier in the undivided NCP.She joined BJP from Dindori in 2019 in the first attempt and was later made the Union Minister of State for Health.

He will face NCP's Dr. Bhaskar Bhagare (Sharadchandra Pawar).

In Kalyan, Chief Minister Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Fadnavis conducted a massive road show for Shrikant Shinde before filing the nomination.

Later, addressing a gathering in Kalyan, CM Shinde said his son has an exemplary track record as a Member of Parliament from the Than district constituency.

He urged Shiv Sena workers to unite the voters and ensure high turnout on the election day (May 20).The Chief Minister said that every vote for Shrikant Shinde will be a support to PM Modi's vision of a prosperous India.

Nashik, Dindori and Kalyan are among the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra that will go to polls in the fifth phase on May 20.