Rural voters with us: BJP

Pramod Mahajan asserted that the Sena-BJP alliance would obtain a simple majority in the state and form the next government. But his mood didn't quite seem as optimistic as his words.

BJP general secretary Pramod Mahajan on Tuesday asserted that the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance would obtain a simple majority in the state and form the next government. But his mood didn't quite seem as optimistic as his words.

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Mahajan rejected the possibility of a split verdict and said the saffron alliance had an edge over the ruling Congress-NCP combine as it had rural voters on its side. "There are nearly 4.5 crore voters in rural Maharashtra and their problems haven't been addressed by the Congress-NCP. We've promised free power to farmers, assured them that their debts will be waived off," he said.

But he admitted that he was banking on the BSP to play a significant role in bringing the Sena-BJP back to power. And he didn't seem his usual assertive self even as he stressed again and again that a Sena-BJP victory was certain.

Attacking NCP chief Sharad Pawar for his comment that the likes of Mahajan don't understand the plight of farmers in rural Maharashtra, he retorted by saying that he was as much a farmer as Pawar.

He agreed with Sena chief Bal Thackeray's contention that the issue of Bangladeshi Muslims infiltrating Mumbai needs to be addressed at the earliest. Mahajan said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's vision of turning Mumbai into another Shanghai would come true only if the state government controlled the entry of migrant population.

He also asserted that Thackeray's ill health, which allowed him to address just two rallies in all, would not cost the alliance any votes.