Mumbai: Even as MahaYuti partners and Maha Vikas Aghadi allies in Maharashtra are yet to finalise the seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, they have stepped up their outreach to voters.
Some programmes were also held for launching and foundation laying of a slew of development projects ahead of the announcement of the Model Code Conduct for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as well as his deputies — Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, have been conducting whirlwind tours across Maharashtra.
Also, the NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Shiv Sena (UBT) head Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray, Congress leaders Nana Patole and Legislature Party leader Balasaheb Thorat have been visiting across the state to seek the voters’ support in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Maharashtra has a total of 48 Lok Sabha constituencies.
Simultaneously, there has been a rush for the release of notifications on many government schemes, programmes, and projects in the last two days.
Over 250 such notifications were issued and their numbers are expected to increase ahead of the announcement of the poll schedule.
Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has announced the candidature of sitting MP Rahul Shewale from the Mumbai South Central constituency.
Shinde has been travelling to attend a number of government functions and also party rallies as he is the leading campaigner and mobiliser in his party.
On the other hand, his deputy, Devendra Fadnavis has also been quite pro-active in taking up government programmes to the voters and addressing party functions with a resolve to achieve BJP’s Mission 400 plus at the national level, and 45-plus target in Maharashtra.
According to political observers, as far as another deputy to CM Shinde — Ajit Pawar is concerned, the upcoming general elections are an acid test for him to prove his pan-Maharashtra leadership.
The upcoming LS polls also provide him a window to justify his move to ditch his uncle — former Union Minister and veteran politician Sharad Pawar — and join hands with the BJP and CM Shinde.
Ajit Pawar has been addressing a series of party rallies and attending government functions in an attempt to increase the party’s presence across the state.
NCP (SP) has declared the candidature of party chief Sharad Pawar’s daughter from Baramati, Supriya Sule, who is the sitting MP, and actor Amol Kolhe from Shirur seat in Pune district.
Sunil Tatkare, the Maharashta unit chief of the NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar, has announced Sunetra Pawar — Ajit Pawar’s wife, as the party candidate from Baramati.
Baramati is set to witness a straight fight between Supriya Sule (Sharad Pawar’s daughter) and Sunetra Pawar (Ajit Pawar’s wife).
Sharad Pawar, 84, has been extensively travelling across Baramati and Maharashtra, appealing to the party members to remain with him during the current crisis.
Pawar, who has a direct connection with youth and old guards, is exhorting them not to be deterred by pressure tactics by the MahaYuti but to be ready for the upcoming polls.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray has declared Amol Kirtikar’s nomination from Mumbai North West.
Amol Kirtikar, who is the son of veteran Shiv Sena leader and MP Gajanan Kirtikar, is expected to take on his father in Mumbai, though Thackeray’s unilateral announcement was criticised by former Mumbai Congress chief, Sanjay Nirupam, claiming that it was against the ‘alliance dharma’.
He also alleged that Amol Kirtikar was accused in the ‘Khichadi scam’, especially for his involvement in the free food distribution programme undertaken by Mumbai civic body by allegedly accepting bribes during the Covid period.
Nirupam has claimed that he has been preparing for the elections for the last five years and is quite keen to contest from Mumbai North West.
Incidentally, Uddhav Thackeray despite being targeted by the BJP and Eknath Shinde, has been carrying out region-wise tours to charge up the cadres.
He has so far travelled to Konkan, Marathwada, North Maharashtra, and Vidarbha, taking an aggressive posture against the BJP.
Besides, Thackeray has been visiting the ‘shakhas’ in Mumbai.
In the case of Congress, its state unit chief Nana Patole and legislature party leader Balasaheb Thorat are on the move while downplaying the exit of former Ashok Chavan who recently joined BJP and was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The Congress is banking on Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’s entry in Maharashtra to help in re-energising and activating the party cadres for the upcoming general elections.
Thereafter, the party hopes that there will be no more splits in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
According to sources, both MahaYuti partners and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance hope to finalise the seat-sharing arrangements in a day or two so that they can formally launch their respective poll management plans across Maharashtra.
(IANS)
