Maharashtra Assembly election: Mahayuti will retain power with thumping majority, says CM Eknath Shinde

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Maharashtra Chief Minister (CM) Eknath Shinde on Friday, October 25, expressed confidence that the Mahayuti alliance - comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - will retain power in the state with a thumping majority on the basis of the development works carried out by his government.

Talking to reporters in Thane, CM Shinde said his party, Shiv Sena, will soon release the second list of candidates.

Earlier this week, the party released the first list of 45 candidates for the November 20 Maharashtra Assembly election, nominating the CM from the Kopri-Panchpakhadi constituency in Thane city and more than half a dozen cabinet members from their respective seats.

"We will return to power with a thumping majority on the basis of our development work and welfare initiatives," the CM said, clarifying that there are no differences among the Mahayuti allies over seat-sharing. "All the discussions are taking place through consensus," he said.

Replying to questions over whether his party or the rival Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) would perform better in the polls, CM Shinde said, "The bow and arrow (his party's symbol) and flaming torch (Shiv Sena-UBT symbol) contest has been settled in the Lok Sabha elections as the strike rate of the bow and arrow was 47 per cent as against the 40 per cent of flaming torch symbol. Their poor performance was despite them contesting more seats and spreading fake narrative."

CM Shinde said his alliance will win on the merit of its performance, reported news agency PTI.

"Our dear sisters will support us - their brothers - and not allow the opposition, which wants to scrap the Ladki Bahin scheme to form a government. (Shiv Sena-UBT chief) Uddhav Thackeray said the MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) will scrap the scheme and other initiatives of the Mahayuti, but people will not give them a chance," he said.

The polling for the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted three days later.

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