Uddhav will be left with 4 people; Ajit Pawar will lead NCP, says Bawankule

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule claimed that Shiv Sena President Uddhav Thackeray will be left with only four party members by the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, while the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will struggle to find candidates. Bawankule also stated that Ajit Pawar will replace Sharad Pawar as the NCP chief, and that the BJP's Maha Vijay Sankalp aims to hold meetings with residents before the parliamentary polls.

Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray will be left with just four partymen by the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will struggle to get candidates, claimed state BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Wednesday.

State BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule in Panvel as part of the party’s Maha Vijay Sankalp on Wednesday. (Bachchan Kumar/ HT Photo)

Speaking in Mawal constituency of Panvel as part of BJP’s Maha Vijay Sankalp, Bawankule said Ajit Pawar will replace Sharad Pawar as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief. The Sankalp envisages holding meetings with residents in their households before the parliamentary polls.

“By 2024, Thackeray will have only four people left with him. There will be little of Sharad Pawar’s NCP left as well. Ajit Pawar, through his development agenda, provides protection and NCP will emerge under his leadership. His work from 7 am to 1 am will show results,” the BJP leader told reporters.

He further said, “Chief minister Eknath Shinde and deputy CM Ajit Pawar have the same political agenda - development. Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis is working to ensure Maharashtra tops the country. This is the reason people are joining the three parties (Shiv Sena led by Shinde, Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction and BJP).”

Denying that the legislative committees announced were to pacify the MLAs not getting ministerial berths, he said, “These are regular committees and have nothing to do with cabinet expansion.”

He also dismissed the controversy over Gujarat chief minister Bhupendra Patel holding a roadshow in Mumbai on Wednesday to promote Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit. “What is the issue in it? Maharashtra too holds such programmes in Gujarat and the rest of the country. We belong to the same country. It is not a case of Hindustan-Pakistan.”

Before Bawankule’s arrival, MVA leaders led by the Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) staged a protest condemning the pathetic condition of the roads in the city.

Former PWP corporator Ganesh Kadu said, “We had been requesting the administration to asphalt the roads before Ganeshtosav but nothing was done, and we had to bring lord Ganesha through the potholes.”

“Today when Bawankule is to arrive the road near the area of his visit has been spruced up. We would request Bawankule to come to Panvel every week. We will also request the local MLA to get the BJP ministers here. This will ensure better roads in Panvel,” he added. Police detained the protestors following sloganeering.

Bawankule said, “I have been getting excellent feedback from the people whom I presented a booklet containing the work done in the nine years of prime minister Narendra Modi’s tenure. They all want Modi back as PM. In Maharashtra, along with our alliance partners we shall ensure victory on 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats.”

He will be visiting Shirur and Baramati constituencies next.