'Shiv Sena would have won 90-100 seats if Ajit Pawar was not an ally'

Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil on Sunday said the Eknath Shinde-led party would have won 90-100 seats in the November 20 assembly polls if Ajit Pawar's Nationalist Congress Party was not part of the Mahayuti.

The Mahayuti comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP. Pawar had joined the Shinde government in July last year and was made deputy CM. "We contested only 85 seats.  Without Ajitdada, we could have won 90-100 seats. Shinde never asked why Ajit Pawar-led NCP was inducted in his government," Patil told a regional news channel.  In the assembly polls, results of which were declared on November 23, the Mahayuti swept to victory getting 230 of the 288 seats in the state. The BJP led with 132 seats, followed by 57 for Shinde's Sena and 41 for NCP. Speaking on government formation, Patil said caretaker chief minister Shinde is not upset.  "Our leader is large-hearted and not upset. He has achieved unprecedented success. He is a fighter who cannot be disheartened," said Patil, who won the recent polls from Jalgaon Rural by a margin of more than 59,000 votes.  He said the BJP will decide on the CM's name and the decision of the allies will have the support of Shinde.