Two major leaders on Saturday hinted that there could be mid-term Assembly polls in the state. While Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar told his party workers that they would soon get an opportunity to change the government, former CM Uddhav Thackeray was more direct. Thackeray asked his rank to be ready for the polls considering the announcements Prime Minister Narendra Modi had started making for Maharashtra.

PM Modi on Thursday had announced nearly 225 projects for Maharashtra at a total estimated cost of Rs 2 lakh crore. On Friday, NCP leader Ajit Pawar had said that attempts were being made by the ruling parties to poach party legislators. Soon after the development, ailing party president Sharad Pawar, who was in hospital, decided to attend the party’s convention in Shirdi. Accompanied by a couple of doctors, he took a chopper from Mahalaxmi Race Course to the convention on Saturday. Ajit’s absence at the event, however, raised eyebrows.