Bolstered by the response it got in Baramati during the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in the run-up to its campaign for the 2019 general elections, has once again aimed at Pawar family’s bastion.
Amit Shah, BJP president who was in Pune on Saturday, said the alliance has kept the target of winning 45 seats in Maharashtra, hinting that BJP is hopeful of fighting the polls together with Shiv Sena.
Speaking to booth workers from Baramati, Pune and Shirur Lok Sabha constituencies, Shah said the target of winning 45 seats from Maharashtra can only be achieved after winning Baramati, currently being represented by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule.
“I want you to win me 45 seats from the state. And to achieve this target, we will have to win Baramati seat. If we win Baramati, the number 45 can be achieved. If the alliance does not win 45 seats, it will not be considered as a win,” said Shah. While the BJP is keen to contest polls in an alliance, Shiv Sena leaders have been involved in public bickering, targeting the Narendra Modi government.
Devendra Fadanvis, the chief minister who was also present during the programme said, “This time, we will have to win more than 42 seats, which we won in 2014. While we won all seats that we bagged last time, the 43rd seat will be of Baramati,” said Fadnavis.
{{/usCountry}}Devendra Fadanvis, the chief minister who was also present during the programme said, “This time, we will have to win more than 42 seats, which we won in 2014. While we won all seats that we bagged last time, the 43rd seat will be of Baramati,” said Fadnavis.
{{/usCountry}}In 2014, Rashtriya Samaj Paksha’s Mahadev Jankar lost to Sule at Baramati by a meagre margin of 55,000 votes. “Had there been a lotus symbol last time, we would have won the Baramati seat also. This time, we will not do the same mistake again as the candidate will fight on the party’s lotus symbol,” said Fadnavis.
Targeting Congress party over dynasty politics, Shah said for Congress OROP is not One Rank One Pension, a reference to post retirement perks for Armed forces, but “only Rahul and only Priyanka”.
“The so called gathbandhan has neither a ‘neta’ ( leader ) nor ‘niti’ (policy) and they want to form a majboor sarkar...but the country needs majboot ( strong ) government and no one expect BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modiji can give such a ‘majboot sarkar’.
“Today we all have to take a resolve to win the 2019 elections with a big majority and make Modiji the prime minister of India again,” said Shah, while addressing the party workers.