Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sep 28 (PTI) The first list of Shiv Sena (UBT) candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra polls might be released during Navratri, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Ambadas Danve said on Saturday.
Speaking to the Marathi news channel ABP Majha, Danve said, “We won 60 seats in 2019. We will go beyond that.” Once the seat-sharing formula among the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners – Sena (UBT), NCP (SP) and Congress – is finalised, his party will announce the first list, he said.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra assembly will likely be held in November.
“We don’t actually need to convey to someone officially that they will contest the elections. It’s a question of understanding. Accordingly, many of our leaders have already started preparing for the elections,” Danve said.
Since the 2019 polls, the original Shiv Sena has split, with the party name and its ‘bow and arrow’ symbol going to the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Shiv Sena is a partner in the ruling coalition of Mahayuti that also comprises BJP and NCP headed by Ajit Pawar.
Danve belongs to the other faction, Shiv Sena (UBT), headed by Uddhav Thackeray.
The Sena (UBT) leader said Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar earlier this week and talked of winning 30 out of 46 seats in the Marathwada region. “I’m not sure if they will even contest on 30 seats in Marathwada,” he said.
“BJP cadres are being told to persuade workers from other parties to join their camp, but their members are switching to our side. The entire BJP unit of Vaijapur joined us recently. Even those from BJP’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (West) unit have also joined us,” he claimed. PTI AW NR
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