BJP is contesting 148 assembly seats in Maharashtra, with Congress fielding 103. Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar’s NCP are contesting 80 and 53 seats respectively in the ruling Mahayuti. In the opposition MVA, Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP) are contesting 103, 89, and 87 seats. Nearly 8,000 candidates filed nominations for the November 20 elections.