Page 29 - Maharashtra Assembly Elections

Cong, Sena (UBT) and, NCP (SP) to jointly contest Maha polls: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Sunday said his party, Congress, and the Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray will jointly contest the Maharashtra assembly polls, due in October this year. Addressing a news conference here, Pawar also said it is the moral responsibility of the major opposition parties in Maharashtra to protect in the state assembly polls the interests of smaller allies, which were part of the coalition in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The NCP (SP), Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT) are constituents of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which was in power in the state from November 2019 till June 2022 before the collapse of the Thackeray-led government. Pawar said the opposition will keep a collective face before the people of Maharashtra. There is need for a change in the state and it is the moral responsibility of the opposition coalition to discharge it, Pawar said. "As Arjuna's target (in the epic Mahabharata) was an eye (of a fish), our eyes are all set

Union HM Amit Shah likely to address BJP meeting in Pune on July 14

Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah is likely to address a party meeting in Pune on July 14 ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections, the party's state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule said here on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, he said, "Nearly 4,500 party functionaries will attend a meeting of the BJP in Pune. We have requested Amit Shah to address the meeting and he has agreed to come to Pune. The meeting will be crucial ahead of Maharashtra assembly elections." The assembly elections are likely to be held in October this year. When asked about the Maharashtra legislative council polls scheduled next month, Bawankule said, "The names will be finalised either today or tomorrow. I am sure that our central parliamentary board will finalise some good names that will be beneficial for the state." "The BJP would like to have the chairperson post of the state legislative council, but we will discuss it with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Deputy Chief Minister Aji

Seat-sharing talks for Maha polls yet to begin in MVA: Sanjay Raut

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday said seat-sharing talks have not commenced among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies for the Maharashtra assembly polls scheduled later this year, and asserted that all are equal stakeholders in the opposition alliance. Talking to reporters, Raut said the MVA contested the Lok Sabha polls unitedly and showed to the world how Maharashtra stopped the BJP from getting a full majority. The MVA comprises Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress. The alliance won 30 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state. "Seat-sharing talks have not yet commenced - neither with the NCP (SP) nor the Congress. So the question of who will contest how many seats doesn't arise. All are equal stakeholders," he said. "There are 288 (assembly) seats (in Maharashtra). There will be no shortage of seats for anyone. Everyone will contest comfortably," Raut said. His remarks came in the backdrop of a NCP (SP) party leader quoted its supremo Sharad Pawar as saying ...

BJP holds marathon meeting to discuss strategy for Maha Assembly polls

The Maharashtra unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a marathon meeting here to discuss strategy for the upcoming state assembly elections, sources said on Saturday. During the meeting held on Friday night, discussions were held for five hours on how to plan the election campaign and finalise the strategy, they said. Elections to the 288-member state assembly are likely to be held in October. In the recently-held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP's seat tally in Maharashtra dropped from 23 to nine. The ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP, bagged only 17 out of the 48 Lok Sabha seats, whereas the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), a three-party alliance of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) won 30 seats. Talking about the meeting, a BJP source said, "Our first meeting, which lasted for five hours, discussed the preliminary blueprint prepared for the assembly polls. The action plan will be finalised soon and more meetings hav

EC begins J&K Assembly polls prep, electoral roll expected by Aug 20

State and UT Assembly elections will be conducted in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), Haryana, Jharkhand, and Maharashtra, along with 47 by-polls

Shiv Sena should get 100 seats to contest in Maharashtra polls: Leader

A senior leader of the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said his party should get to contest at least 100 of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena is part of the Mahayuti coalition which also includes the BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Assembly elections are due in the state in October. "We should get 100 seats to contest, and we will make sure that we win 90 out of them," former state minister Ramdas Kadam said on Wednesday at a function to mark the 58th Foundation Day of the undivided Shiv Sena, organised by the Shinde faction at the NSCI complex here. Notably, Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal recently said his party should get 80-90 seats to contest in the state assembly polls. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later said BJP is the largest party and will contest more seats in the state election. However, the seat-sharing formula will be finalised only after leaders of the three parties meet and discuss, Fadnavi

BJP leadership, allies will take care of Mahayuti's CM face: Bawankule

There has been no discussion so far on who will be the chief ministerial face of the ruling Mahayuti' coalition in Maharashtra assembly polls due later this year, said state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday. The party's central leadership and alliance partners will take the call on it, he said, asserting that Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remains the leader of his party in the state. Bawankule was talking to reporters at Nagpur airport on his return after attending the BJP's core group meeting in Delhi on Tuesday. He said they discussed the reasons for the below-par performance of Mahayuti, comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP under Ajit Pawar, in Maharashtra and why its vote share was left behind by 0.3 per cent compared to the Maha Vikas Aghadi. In the recently concluded Lok Sabha polls, the Mahayuti bagged just 17 of the state's 48 seats, with the BJP's tally coming drastically down to nine from the 23 (it won in 2019). By contrast, the MV

No change in Maharashtra's leadership, plan to win Assembly elections: BJP

The BJP on Tuesday ruled out any change in its leadership in Maharashtra after its poor showing in the Lok Sabha elections and asserted that it is working on a blueprint for the Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP coalition to emerge victorious in the assembly polls, due later this year. The decision was taken at the Maharashtra BJP's core group meeting with party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "There will be no change in leadership in Maharashtra," Union Minister Piyush Goyal told reporters at the BJP headquarters. The leaders discussed the strategy to ensure the re-election of the MahaYuti alliance in the upcoming assembly elections, Goyal said. The meeting was attended by senior BJP leaders BL Santosh, Bhupender Yadav, Ashwini Vaishnaw, state BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Sudhir Mungantiwar, Chandrakant Patil, Pankaja Munde, Raosaheb Danve and Vinod Tawde, among others. The BJP won nine seats in Maharashtra in the recent Lok Sabha elections, down from its 2019 tally

Sharad Pawar seeks to meet CM to discuss drought-like situation in Pune

Nationalist Congress Party (SP) head Sharad Pawar has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde seeking a meeting to address the drought-like situation in Purandar, Baramati, Indapur and Daund tehsils of Pune district. In the letter dated June 16, which he posted on a micro-blogging site on Monday, Pawar said the state government had undertaken irrigation schemes in the region to mitigate the drought-like situation but problems were found in their implementation when he visited some of these areas recently. During discussions with the public in these visits, villagers also suggested some measures along with demands to solve the problem of agriculture and drinking water, the former Union minister said in the letter. "There is a need to take permanent measures to overcome the traditional drought situation in the above mentioned talukas of Pune district. For this, we request you to organise a meeting in Mumbai under your leadership and in the presence of the two deputy chief

BJP leader seeks Maha minister's expulsion, claims he backed Cong candidate

A BJP leader has demanded the expulsion of Maharashtra Minister Abdul Sattar, alleging that he had supported the Congress candidate in the Jalna seat in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. In a letter to BJP state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday, the party's Sillod city unit chief Kamlesh Katariya alleged that Shiv Sena leader Sattar and his supporters had helped Congress candidate Kalyan Kale, who defeated former Union Minister Raosaheb Danve by a margin of over one lakh votes in Jalna. The ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra comprises the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the NCP headed by Deputy CM Ajit Pawar. Katariya claimed that Sattar, who represents Sillod in the state assembly, had worked against (the BJP candidate) in his segment, which is part of Jalna Lok Sabha constituency. "The BJP has a voter base in Sillod, and Sattar is trying to finish off the party here. False cases are registered against party workers," he alleged in the ...

Looking to contest 20 assembly seats in Maha, says BJP-Sena ally Kadu

Prahar Janashakti Party (PJP) chief Omprakash Kadu on Thursday said his outfit, an ally of the ruling Shiv Sena-BJP-NCP coalition, was looking to contest 20 of the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra where state polls are due in October. Kadu, whose outfit is a part of the ruling Mahayuti but still fielded its candidate against BJP's Navneet Rana in the Amravati Lok Sabha seat, said the PJP is assessing whether it can contest 20 seats independently or with an alliance with another outfit. "We are strong in 20 seats and we are working on it over the last one year. We have started preparations. With whom we will contest the seats will be decided later. We will be assessing whether we can contest the 20 seats independently or with someone," Kadu said. The former state minister informed the party is planning to soon hold a conclave of its workers at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar in central Maharashtra to discuss the issue. Asked whether he will quit the Mahayuti, he said, "There is no ...

Gear up for Maha assembly polls to ensure victory: Goyal urges BJP cadres

Senior BJP leader and Union minister Piyush Goyal has said that active participation of party members was crucial to start preparing for the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls to fix shortcomings in the party system. He also emphasised the importance of encouraging people to come out and vote, given the low response in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. "I am confident that the (party) system will be better ahead of the next state polls. If we start making efforts now, there will be no shortcomings ahead of the Maharashtra assembly elections that will be held in the next 3-4 months," Goyal said during a public function late Wednesday evening. "We need to encourage people again to come out and vote. This time, we need to win all the six assembly seats under the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat," the Union Commerce Minister said. Of the six assembly constituencies under the Mumbai North Lok Sabha seat, the BJP won four in the 2019 elections, while the Shiv Sena and Congress bagged ..

Taking control of Maha my endeavour; NCP (SP) must win state polls: Pawar

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday said it would be his endeavour to take control of Maharashtra, for which his party must win the state assembly polls scheduled later this year. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) helmed by him put up an impressive show by winning eight out of ten Lok Sabha seats it contested in Maharashtra in the recently-concluded general elections. Pawar's daughter and NCP (SP) candidate Supriya Sule won the high-stake family battle for the Baramati seat for the fourth straight term, defeating her cousin Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar. Following the Lok Sabha poll results, Pawar has been meeting people in Baramati and making preparations for the state assembly polls. Addressing people from Shirsuphal village in Baramati, the former Union minister said the people of Baramati constituency remained silent during the election period. "Our party functionaries used to tell me that people are silent and they are not speaking openly. I asked ...

No discussion within INDIA bloc so far on reaching out to TDP, JDU: Pawar

NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Wednesday said there has been no discussion within the INDIA bloc yet on reaching out to the TDP or JD(U) to shore up the numbers of the alliance for government formation. His remarks came ahead of the meeting of INDIA bloc leaders at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's residence this evening to deliberate on the Lok Sabha poll results and whether to bring on board the Janata Dal (United) (JD-U) and Telugu Desam Party (TDP) to cobble up a government. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised to form the government for a third consecutive term with the BJP-led NDA getting a majority in the Lok Sabha, notwithstanding crushing losses in three Hindi heartland states after a bitterly fought election that was projected as a referendum on his popularity. While speaking on the Lok Sabha poll outcome, the 83-year-old Pawar told reporters here that besides the resentment against the functioning of the Modi government, the voters were also unhappy about handling

Maha Bhavan will be built in Kashmir with Centre's support: CM Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has asserted that a Maharashtra Bhavan will be built in Jammu and Kashmir and with the Centre's support, no one will dare to oppose it. Speaking at a rally in Maharashtra's Amravati district on Wednesday, Shinde claimed that National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has opposed the construction of the Maharashtra Bhavan in Kashmir. "The state government has received land in Kashmir for building the Maharashtra Bhavan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are with us. So no one will dare to oppose it," the CM said. CM Shinde last year requested Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha for a land parcel to construct the Maharashtra Bhavan to provide accommodations and facilities for tourists and officials from the state visiting the Valley. The Maharashtra cabinet last month approved a proposal to construct the Maharashtra Bhavan, clearing the decks for the first state-run guest house to come up in the Valley since th

'Marathas may contest assembly polls if quota demand not met by Jun 6'

Activist Manoj Jarange on Sunday said that while he has decided to stay away from the Lok Sabha poll fray, the Maratha community members might contest the Maharashtra assembly elections if they are not provided reservation till June 6. The Lok Sabha elections in Maharashtra will be held in five phases from April 19 to May 20 and state assembly polls are due later this year. Vote counting for the Lok Sabha polls will be held on June 4. "We are not involved in politics. We have not aligned with any party, neither the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi nor the ruling Mahayuti. We have not fielded any candidate and neither supported anyone," Jarange told reporters in Navi Mumbai. He was heading to 'Chaityabhoomi' in neighbouring Mumbai to pay homage to Dr B R Ambedkar on his birth anniversary. The ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra comprises the Shiv Sena-led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, BJP and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP. The Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by former CM Uddhav Thackeray and S

Friends are foes, foes turned friends in Maharashtra's electoral battle

With parties breaking up and new alliances forming, Maharashtra is seeing head-spinning political realignments in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections where one-time colleagues have become rivals, and enemies have become allies. An illustration of this was on display at Union minister Amit Shah's rally in Nanded on Thursday where former chief minister Ashok Chavan and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Pratap Patil Chikhalikar shared the stage. Chikhalikar, then the MLA of undivided Shiv Sena from Loha in Latur district, joined the BJP in 2019 and went on to defeat sitting Congress MP Ashok Chavan from Nanded, a Congress bastion, in the ensuing Lok Sabha elections. Modi, at a campaign rally then, had targeted Chavan over the Adarsh society scam, while then chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had said Chavan was a "dealer and not a leader." Chavan joined the BJP in February this year, and became its Rajya Sabha member. He is now campaigning for Chikhalikar and other BJP candidates in the .

Bombay HC pulls up Maharashtra govt for denying benefits to martyr's widow

The Bombay High Court on Friday expressed displeasure with the Maharashtra government for its failure to decide on granting benefits to the widow of an Army major, who was martyred in Jammu and Kashmir, under its policy for ex-servicemen. A division bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Firdosh Pooniwalla said it was "not happy " and "surprised" with the government's stand despite orders passed by the court asking the chief minister to consider the matter as a "special case". The court was hearing a petition filed by Aakriti Sood, widow of late Major Anuj Sood, seeking benefits (monetary) for ex-servicemen under two government resolutions of 2019 and 2020. Major Sood lost his life on May 2, 2020 while rescuing civilian hostages from terrorist hideouts in Jammu and Kashmir, and was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously. The state government has contended that only those born in Maharashtra or who lived in the state continuously for 15 years were eligible for monetary benefit and .

LS polls: PM Modi to hold rally in Nagpur today to support NDA candidate

Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena

MVA seat-sharing: Uddhav's Sena gets 21 seats, Congress 17 and NCP 10

Shiv Sena Uddhav (UBT) faction will be contesting polls on 21 seats, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party will contest elections on 10 seats while Congress will fight the polls on 17 seats