The upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20 are witnessing a rise in “namesake candidates,” where contenders with identical names are contesting in the same constituencies. This situation has raised concerns among party members and candidates, as they fear it may mislead voters and complicate the electoral process.
For instance, in the Karjat-Jamkhed constituency, Rohit Rajendra Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP) candidate, faces confusion due to an independent candidate with the same name. Similarly, in Dapoli, three candidates named Yogesh Kadam are contesting, complicating matters for Shiv Sena’s Eknath Shinde faction candidate, the incumbent MLA Yogesh Kadam. The Ambernath constituency presents a similar issue, where Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Rajesh Devendra Wankhede is up against Rajesh Abhimanyu Wankhede, an independent candidate. Wankhede suspects his namesake may have been introduced to split votes in his favor, while the independent candidate insists he is running a legitimate campaign.
Past Maharashtra elections, including the recent Lok Sabha race, have also seen this trend, such as the case in Mumbai North East, where multiple candidates named Sanjay Patil created confusion. Party officials emphasize the importance of election symbols to help voters identify the correct candidate.
In Sangli’s Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal constituency, the situation is even more complex, with three candidates sharing the name “Rohit Patil,” all running as independents. Additionally, in Pune’s Vadgaon Sheri Assembly seat, NCP-SP candidate Bapusaheb Tukaram Pathare has sought the disqualification of an independent candidate with the same name, accusing him of incomplete disclosures.
As election day approaches, candidates are increasingly focused on differentiating themselves through campaign symbols and are encouraging voters to verify symbols carefully to avoid confusion at the polls.
