Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said this in a program of a Marathi TV channel on Sunday. (file)
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Sunday that we have to be practical about the ground reality. BJP may not win Maharashtra elections single handedly, but it is also true that we have the highest number of seats and the highest voting percentage. BJP will become the largest party in the state after the elections.
He said this in a program of a Marathi TV channel. Fadnavis expressed confidence that BJP will form the government with the help of Shiv Sena, NCP and Republican Party of India. Regarding the impact of Lok Sabha elections on Maharashtra elections, he said that vote jihad was seen for the first time during Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra, but it will not be effective in assembly elections.
Fadnavis further said that in Dhule Lok Sabha seat our candidates were ahead in five assembly seats, but due to Malegaon-Central assembly seat we lost Dhule Lok Sabha seat.
Mahayuti announced its manifesto on October 16.
The decision about the CM will be taken after the elections
Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said that if people are looking at me as Chief Minister, it is not a problem, it is a solution. But this does not mean that I am going to become CM.
As Eknath Shinde is the current Chief Minister, there is no need for the Mahayutti to announce the face of the Chief Ministership. Who will be the chief minister will be announced after the election. Shiv Sena chief CM Eknath Shinde, NCP chief Ajit Pawar and BJP's parliamentary board will decide who will be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Mahayuti is not confused, the problem is Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The question of face is for them, not for Mahayuti. MVA is not announcing the Chief Minister's face because they know that their Chief Minister may come after the elections.
In the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections, BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena (undivided) 56, NCP (undivided) 54 and Congress 44 seats. This time Maharashtra assembly elections will be held on 20th November and the result will be announced on 23rd November.
A look at Maharashtra's political equation…
BJP got 23 to 9 seats in the Lok Sabha elections
Out of which 48 seats in Maharashtra, INDIA alliance got 30 seats and NDA got 17 seats. Out of which BJP got 9 seats, Shiv Sena got 7 seats and NCP got only 1 seat. BJP has lost 23 seats. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the NDA won 41 seats compared to 42 seats in 2014.
Estimated loss of BJP as per Lok Sabha elections
If the trend like the Lok Sabha elections continues in the Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP will suffer. BJP will be reduced to around 60 seats. Also, in an opposition coalition survey, MVA is projected to get 160 seats. Maratha agitation is the biggest challenge for BJP. Apart from this, people sympathize with Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar after the sabotage in Shiv Sena and NCP.
Assembly Elections – 2019
In 2019, there was a BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. BJP won 105 and Shiv Sena 56 seats. NCP got 54 seats and Congress got 44 seats from the alliance. The BJP-Shiv Sena could have easily come to power, but the alliance broke down due to differences. On 23 November 2019, Fadnavis was sworn in as Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister. However, both resigned on November 26 before the majority test. On 28 November, Shiv Sena (undivided), NCP (undivided) and Congress' Mahavikas Aghadi came to power. After this, there was a split between Shiv Sena and NCP and these two parties split into four factions. However, Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray gained in the Lok Sabha elections. Now the Assembly elections are also being held on this background.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).