Baramati a fight for Maharashtra's pride; MVA to win 30-35 LS seats: Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said the Baramati Lok Sabha seat contest was a fight for Maharashtra's pride and claimed the opposition MVA will win 30-35 parliamentary constituencies out of the total 48 in the state.

Talking to reporters, Raut said Sena (UBT) head and former state chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will soon hold a rally in Khadakvasala, which comes under the Baramati constituency where polling 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 the Congress, has renominated its sitting MP Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Pune district.

Sule, the daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, is pitted against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, the wife of state Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

"All the people of Maharashtra are fully behind Supriya Sule and will ensure her win. The Baramati Lok Sabha contest is a fight for Maharashtra's pride," Raut said.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader accused state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of switching sides to the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance alliance to "save his skin".

"Ajit Pawar couldn't ensure victory of his son Parth in the Maval seat in the last Lok Sabha elections and now the process of his wife's defeat has begun," Raut claimed.

"Rahul Gandhi is getting a tremendous response in the country and you will see a change in government after June 4 (the day of vote counting)," he further claimed.

Asked about CM Shinde stating that Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray said he will never allow his party to become the Congress, Raut said, "When Indira Gandhi was in trouble, Balasaheb supported her. Both the leaders shared a warm relationship. Balasaheb had not contested an election once to support the Congress."

"Shinde has become a sycophant of a party which wants to weaken Maharashtra and hurt the Marathi pride," the Sena (UBT) leader alleged.

CM Shinde is yet to officially announce candidates in Thane, Kalyan, Mumbai North West and Nashik Lok Sabha seats, Raut pointed out.

He claimed the MVA will win 30-35 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

"If you are so confident of winning, why is Ajit Pawar threatening people in Baramati," Raut said.

He dubbed the Shinde-led party as "Shiv Sena (Fadnavis) group" and claimed "it's like a Modi-Shah private limited."

Asked about the BJP fielding well-known lawyer Ujjwal Nikam from Mumbai North Central seat, Raut claimed, "As per my knowledge, multiple leaders from the BJP rejected to contest polls from the Mumbai North Central constituency. No doubt, he (Nikam) is one of the prominent faces but the Maha Vikas Aghadi will win the seat.