MVA will win Maharashtra assembly elections: Uddhav Thackeray

MVA leaders on Saturday held a press conference. Pic/Sameer Abedi

Upbeat after the Maha Vikas Aghadi's (MVA) "victory" in the Lok Sabha elections 2024 in Maharashtra, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on Saturday said it was only a beginning and the opposition alliance will maintain its winning streak in the coming assembly elections in the state, reported the PTI.

For the first time after the MVA's spectacular performance in parliamentary polls, where it won 30 out of 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state, Uddhav Thackeray held a joint press conference here with his MVA allies NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

IN PHOTOS: Uddhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar and other MVA leaders meet for state assembly polls

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The press conference followed a preliminary meeting of leaders of the Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress for preparations for the assembly elections, due in October.

"During the election campaign, I addressed my audience as 'deshbhakts' (patriots)....all deshbhakts came together to save democracy," the former Maharashtra chief minister said, adding that people have awakened and the struggle has just started, according to the PTI.

The "Modi sarkar" is now "NDA sarkar", and it remains to be seen how long it lasts, he said.

The BJP had ridiculed the MVA as an unnatural alliance, he noted, asking should the alliance at the Centre be now dubbed natural or unnatural.

According to the PTI, when asked about the BJP's claim that Opposition spread fake narratives during the elections, the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray said, "What do you call the narrative about INDIA alliance planning to take away people's wealth and distributing it among those with more children, take away mangalsutra, buffalos and cut off water connections?"

To some BJP leaders' jibe that the Shiv Sena led by him got votes of Muslims but not those of Marathi-speakers, its traditional support base, Uddhav Thackeray said patriotic people cutting across religions voted for the opposition alliance and they included both Muslims and Marathi-speakers.

Referring to the BJP's losses in Uttar Pradesh and especially the defeat in Faizabad constituency where Ayodhya is located, Thackeray said the Lok Sabha results made Lord Ram "BJP-mukt" (free of BJP).

He dismissed speculation that he may return to the BJP-led NDA. "Suppose I plan to switch allegiances, would I announce it sitting with these people (Pawar and Chavan)?" Uddhav Thackeray asked, as per the PTI.

Both Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar ruled out the possibility of taking back rebel leaders from their respective parties.

Notably, there was talk of some leaders from the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and NCP led by deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar returning to Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).

Uddhav Thackeray also referred to Union minister Amit Shah's past speeches denying any possibility of alliance with TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar, both of whom are now supporting the Narendra Modi government.

(with PTI inputs)