Mumbai, Oct 28 (IANS): Maharashtra's ruling Shiv Sena on Sunday announced its second list of 20 candidates including former Union Minister Milind Deora who will take on the Shiv Sena-UBT nominee Aaditya Thackeray in the Worli constituency.

Former MP Sanjay Nirupam, who had left the Congress and joined Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ahead of Lok Sabha elections, has been fielded from the Dindoshi constituency against Shiv Sena-UBT's Sunil Prabhu.

The party has nominated former Chief Minister and Union Minister Narayan Rane’s son Nilesh Rane from the Kudal seat against Shiv Sena-UBT nominee Vaibhav Naik. Nilesh Rane has last week left the BJP and joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Chief Minister Shinde.

With Sunday’s announcement, the Shiv Sena has so far announced 65 nominees.

It has renominated the sitting legislator Balaji Kinikar from Ambernath after Shinde intervened and pacified the party leaders who had opposed Kinikar’s renomination. Further, the party has fielded Murji Patel from Andheri East against Shiv Sena-UBT candidate Rutuja Latke. During the by-election held in November 2022, due to the death of sitting Shiv Sena (united) legislator Ramesh Latke, Patel, who had filed his nomination as BJP nominee, had withdrawn from the race.

Former MP Rajendra Gavit has been fielded from Palghar replacing sitting legislator Shrinivas Vanaga. Gavit had travelled from the Congress to the Shiv Sena to the BJP and back again to the Shiv Sena.

The others include Anand Bharose from Parbhani, Vilas Tare from Boisar, Shantaram More from Bhiwandi Rural, Santosh Shetti from Bhiwandi East, Vishwanath Bhoir from Kalyan West, Suvarna Karanje from Vikhroli, Tukaram Kate from Chembur, Vijay Shivtare from Purandar, Rajesh Kshirsagar, who is the Vice Chairman of MITRA, from Kolhapur North, Amshya Padvi, who is the state council member, from Akkalkua, Baliram Shiraskar from Balapur, Sambharao Kohalikar from Hadgaon, and Anand Tidke-Patil from Nanded South.