Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said the ruling Maha Yuti will get 40 plus seats out of total 48 seats in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.
The Maha Yuti is a three-party alliance—BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). Whereas the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi is an alliance of Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction).
The BJP leaders’ optimism comes amid reports of Maha Yuti likely to lose seats as per the poll survey.
According to a C-Voter survey, Maha Yuti led by BJP will win 19 to 21 seats in Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra. While opposition Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi will win 26 to 28 seats. The smaller parties/ independents which come in other category will get 0 to 2 seats.
The survey states that Maha Yuti will poll 37 per cent votes, Maha Vikas Aghadi 41 per cent and others 22 per cent.
Commenting on the survey, Fadnavis said, “I have respect for all kind of surveys. But please remember one thing clearly. There is only Modi wave across the country. The people have decided to support and vote Modiji.”
“Whether it is a survey done by C, D, E, Z it does not matter. One thing is clear, Maha Yuti will cross 40 plus seats in Maharashtra,” he said.
The opposition parties have welcomed the survey saying it has projected the people’s mood.
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “In the coming elections, people will teach BJP and its alliance partners a lesson. The opposition parties will out-perform the ruling alliance.”
According to Raut, the opposition under INDIA front will put up a united front against Modi. He also indicated that Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi led by Prakash Ambedkar is being considered as ally in INDIA.
NCP leader Sharad Pawar has discussed the issue with Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge. Opposition leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “If elections are held in a free and fair manner, the survey will prove right. The opposition will do better than ruling BJP.”
The elections for Lok Sabha are scheduled in April-May 2024.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, BJP won 23 seats out of 48 seats in Maharashtra. It was then in alliance with undivided Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray which won 18 seats. The Congress bagged just one seat and its alliance partner NCP four seats. Two seats went to smaller parties/ independents.
The central and state BJP leadership has set an ambitious target of 45 plus seats in the polls. After Uttar Pradesh with 80 Lok Sabha seats, Maharashtra is the second highest state with total 48 seats.
State BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule said, “We are confident people will once again repose their trust in PM Narendra Modi’s leadership.” All the welfare schemes launched by Centre and state government will bring positive outcome for the BJP and its alliance partners, he said.