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Mumbai: Even as counting of candidates left in the fray after the last date for withdrawal of nominations was underway, primary estimates show they total around 5,500— way higher than the 2009 tally of around 3,559. There are 288 assembly segments in the state.

Pradeep Sharma withdrew his nomination as RPI candidate from Andheri (E).

Meanwhile, withdrawal of candidature by two BJP candidates in the Mumbai region —one in Vasai and the other in Kalyan rural—were the highlight of the day. An NCP candidate from Kolhapur south, Durvas Kadam, has also withdrawn. He was pitted against former minister of state for home Satej Patil.

According to sources, the total number of candidates fielded by major parties exceeds 2,000.

In Mumbai, 521 candidates are now in the running after 72 withdrew from the race. In Thane, 63 withdrew, taking the total number of contestants for 24 seats there to 238.

Apparently, the increase in the number of candidates over 2009 is mainly because that election was fought jointly by Sena-BJP and Congress-NCP, which is not the case this time.

Meanwhile, in Vasai, BJP's Chandrashekhar Dhuri withdrew in favour of independent Vivek Pandit to counter Hitendra Thakur of Bahujan Vikas Aghadi. Shiv Sena has already extended its support to Pandit. This is probably the only constituency where Sena-BJP have come together. Ramesh Mhatre, a Sena rebel who was a BJP candidate from Kalyan rural, withdrew after Sena chief Udhav Thackeray convinced him not to contest.