BJP rebel Shetty quits race, Sena's Sarvankar stays in fray

The BJP and the Maha Vikas Aghadi faced rebel candidates in the Maharashtra assembly polls, despite attempts to consolidate support. Several high-profile candidates withdrew, leading to a final count of 4,140 candidates vying for 288 seats. Key constituencies like Mumbai and Pune witnessed intense competition, with rebel candidates adding to the complexity of the political landscape.