Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena MLA says party ‘could have won 90-100 seats if…’

Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil said Shinde never asked why Ajit Pawar's NCP was inducted in his government in the state.

Published on: Dec 1, 2024, 19:22:47 IST

By HT News Desk

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Shiv Sena MLA Gulabrao Patil said that the party could have secured 90-100 seats in the Maharashtra assembly elections if Ajit Pawar's NCP had not joined the Mahayuti alliance.

Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP are a part of the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. (PTI)

Patil, who retained his Jalgaon Rural seat said that the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena contested only 85 seats. “Without Ajitdada, we could have won 90-100 seats. Shinde never questioned why Ajit Pawar’s NCP was included in his government,” PTI quoted Patil as saying.

The Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra includes the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar's NCP.

ALSO READ | Eknath Shinde says Maharashtra CM pick to be decided tomorrow

The BJP-led alliance achieved a landslide victory in the recently concluded state polls, bagging 230 of the 288 seats in the Assembly. The BJP alone won 132 seats, while Shiv Sena secured 57 and NCP bagged 41 seats.

The oath-taking ceremony for the Mahayuti government will take place at Azad Maidan on December 5, BJP's state president Chandrashekhar Bawankule had announced on Saturday.

Further, in terms of the government formation, Patil reiterated that Shinde was not upset. "Our leader is large-hearted and not upset. He has achieved unprecedented success. He is a fighter who cannot be disheartened," he said.

ALSO READ | ‘Insult to Maharashtra’: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on delay in government formation

Like his party's top brass, Patil also said that the BJP will decide the chief ministerial pick and that decision will have the support of Shinde and the Sena.

Notably, the caretaker chief minister of Maharashtra earlier in the day told reporters that the Mahayuti CM pick will be decided on Monday, December 2.

Shinde, who had gone to his native village in Satara, fell sick while being there. Addressing the media, he said he was doing good now and reiterated his “unconditional support” to the BJP top leadership - Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and party president JP Nadda.

Caretaker CM Eknath Shinde returned to Mumbai on Sunday evening.

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