Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 22 (HBTV): Ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly polls on Tuesday, posters featuring Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the slogan "Bantenge to Katenge" have appeared in various parts of Mumbai. 

BJP member Vishwabandhu Rai explained the motive behind the posters. 

"The opposition is engaging in political manoeuvres, and we have responded to that. The people of North India believe in the Yogi and his slogan 'Bantenge to Katenge,' and so we have started to respond to the opposition tactics in Maharashtra as well. In Haryana, you have seen how people have stood together and responded, supporting the Bharatiya Janata Party. We are also now going to apply this in Maharashtra", he said. 

On Sunday, the BJP released its first list of 99 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, scheduled to be held on November 20. 

According to the list, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will contest from Nagpur South West. Other key candidates include Minister Girish Mahajan, who will contest from Jamner; Sudhir Mungantiwar from Ballarpur; Sreejaya Ashok Chavan from Bhokar; Ashish Shelar from Vandre West; Mangal Prabhat Lodha from Malabar Hill; Rahul Narwekar from Colaba; and Chhatrapati Shivendra Raje Bhosale from Satara. The list also includes Suresh Damu Bhole from Jalgaon City, Atul Save from Aurangabad East, Sanjay Mukund Kalkar from Thane, and Vinod Shelar from Malad West, among others. 

Following the list's release, Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Krishnarao Bawankule expressed gratitude to the party's high command after he was named the candidate from the Kamthi Assembly constituency for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Speaking to ANI, Bawankule said, "Everyone has jointly, including our Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, released the list based on merit and consensus among the public and party workers. I thank the high command for giving me this responsibility. We will work hard and will win this seat." 

In the last parliamentary elections, the opposition MVA outperformed the BJP, winning 30 of Maharashtra's 48 seats, while the BJP's tally dropped to 9 from 23 in the previous election. The counting of votes for the Assembly polls will take place on November 23.   

(ANI)