03 May,2024 09:26 PM IST | Pune | mid-day online correspondent
Vinod Tawde. File Pic
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinod Tawde on Friday said that the Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra will win more than 40 seats in state in the Lok Sabha elections 2024, reported the PTI.
The Mahayuti alliance comprises of Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Vinod Tawde, the party's general secretary, was speaking to reporters during an informal interaction organised by the Pune Union of Working Journalists (PUWJ).
He said that former minister Eknath Khadse will return to the BJP, and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule had never opposed his rejoining.
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Eknath Khadse had quit the BJP in 2016 after almost four decades in the party.
Last month, the veteran leader, who is with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had said that he would be rejoining the saffron party, as per the PTI.
Vinod Tawde, however, said that the party's Central leadership will make the final decision about Eknath Khadse's return to the fold.
Talking about the break-up of the previous alliance between the undivided Shiv Sena and BJP, Vinod Tawade said, "Devendra Fadnavis would have been the chief minister, but he doesn't play politics of revenge. We had an ideological alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena. People allege that leaders join the BJP under pressure from investigative agencies, but in that case, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut would have joined the party long back," according to the PTI.
The ruling Mahayuti coalition comprising of the Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in Maharashtra has almost sealed the seat-sharing deal for Lok Sabha elections 2024.
Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, and under the seat-sharing arrangement, the BJP has so far agreed to contest in 27 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP will field its candidates in four constituencies and Shiv Sena in 15 seats.
The Shiv Sena, led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Wednesday announced its candidates for Kalyan, Thane and Nashik, freezing its numbers at 15. After he broke away from the original Shiv Sena in June 2022, Shinde had received the support of 13 party MPs, according to the PTI.
Under the seat-sharing arrangement, BJP has so far agreed to contest in 27 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP will field its candidates in four constituencies.
(with PTI inputs)
