Maharashtra: Amit Shah, Uddhav Thackeray to address rallies in Amravati on Friday

Electioneering for the eight Assembly seats in Maharashtra's Amravati will gain momentum from Friday when BJP president Amit Shah and Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray will address separate rallies in the district located in Vidarbha region.

Shah will address a public gathering in Melghat constituency, a tribal belt where the BJP has fielded Ramesh Mavaskar, a fresh fresh, in place of sitting MLA Prabhudas Bhilavekar.

Mavaskar is pitted against NCP's Kewalram Kale.

Thackeray will address a public meeting at the Dussehra maidan in Amravati city to campaign for Shiv Sena candidates Preeti Band (Badnera



Assembly seat), Rajesh Wankhade (Teosa) and Sunita Fiske (Achalpur).

In Badnera, Preeti Band, the widow of former Sena MLA Sanjay Band, is pitted against two-term Independent MLA Ravi Rana, who has the backing of the opposition Congress and NCP.

In Teosa, Wankhade is taking on Congress MLA Yashomati Thakur, who is eying a hat-trick.

In Achalpur, Fiske, the local municipal council president, is contesting against three-term Independent MLA Bachchu Kadu.

Polling for the 288 Assembly seats in the state will be held on October 21 and counting of votes will take place on October 24.