Baramati a fight for the pride of Maharashtra; MVA wins 30-35 LS seats: Raut
File image by Sanjay Raut | (Photo: PTI)
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the Baramati Lok Sabha seat contest was a battle for the pride of Maharashtra and claimed that the opposition party MVA will win 30 to 35 parliamentary constituencies out of the total 48 in the state.
Speaking to reporters, Raut said Sena chief (UBT) and former state minister Uddhav Thackeray will soon hold a meeting in Khadakvasala, which falls under Baramati constituency, where elections will be held on May 7.
The NCP (SP), which is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) along with the Sena (UBT) and Congress, has reappointed its sitting MP Supriya Sule from Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Pune district.
Sule, daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, is pitted against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, wife of Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.
“All people of Maharashtra fully support Supriya Sule and will ensure her victory. The Baramati Lok Sabha contest is a battle for the pride of Maharashtra,” Raut said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader accused Deputy Prime Minister Ajit Pawar of siding with the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance to “save his skin”.
“Ajit Pawar could not guarantee his son Parth’s victory from the Maval seat in the last Lok Sabha elections and now the process of his wife’s defeat has begun,” Raut alleged.
“Rahul Gandhi is getting a great response in the country and you will see a change of government after June 4 (the day of counting of votes),” he further claimed.
Asked about CM Shinde saying that Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray said he will never allow his party to become Congress, Raut said, “When Indira Gandhi was in trouble, Balasaheb supported her. Both leaders shared a warm relationship. Balasaheb had not ever contested an election to support the Congress.”
“Shinde has become a sycophant of a party that wants to weaken Maharashtra and damage Marathi pride,” the Sena (UBT) leader alleged.
CM Shinde is yet to officially announce candidates for Thane, Kalyan, Mumbai North West and Nashik Lok Sabha seats, Raut pointed out.
He claimed that the MVA will win 30 to 35 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.
“If you are so confident of victory, why is Ajit Pawar threatening the people of Baramati,” Raut said.
He called the Shinde-led party “Shiv Sena (Fadnavis) group” and claimed “it is like a Modi-Shah private limited.”
Asked about the BJP fielding noted lawyer Ujjwal Nikam from Mumbai North Central seat, Raut claimed, “As far as I know, several leaders of the BJP have refused to contest the polls from Mumbai North Central constituency. No doubt he (Nikam) is too. one of the prominent faces, but the Maha Vikas Aghadi will win the seat.
First print: April 28, 2024 | 12:39 pm IST