April 29 marks the last phase of voting in the State, with 17 Lok Sabha constituencies in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region and northern and western Maharashtra going to the polls.
In 2014, the BJP had won eight seats and the Shiv Sena had bagged nine out of the 17. This year, the allies are contesting seven and 10 seats respectively, while the Congress and the NCP are contesting nine and seven seats
respectively. The Opposition alliance has fielded Baliram Jadhav of the Bahujan Vikas Aghadi from Palghar.
While the Congress is facing the tough task of reclaiming its lost base in north Maharashtra and Mumbai, the NCP is trying to gain a foothold in Thane and western Maharashtra. This phase will also decide if the BJP’s urban appeal is intact.
Prominent candidates include Union minister Subhash Bhamre (Dhule) of BJP and NCP chief Sharad Pawar’s grandnephew Parth Pawar in Maval.
