Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Sunday said that the Baramati seat in Lok Sabha elections 2024 was a fight for Maharashtra`s pride and claimed that the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) will win 30-35 parliamentary constituencies out of the total 48 seats in the state, reported the PTI.

Talking to reporters, Sanjay Raut said that the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will soon hold a rally in Khadakvasala, which comes under the Baramati constituency where polling will be held on May 7, according to the PTI.

The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi along with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress, has renominated its sitting MP Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha constituency in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Supriya Sule, the daughter of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, is pitted against her sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar, the wife of state Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

“All the people of Maharashtra are fully behind Supriya Sule and will ensure her win. The Baramati Lok Sabha contest is a fight for Maharashtra`s pride,” Sanjay Raut said, the news agency reported on Sunday.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader accused state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar of switching sides to the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena alliance alliance to “save his skin”.

“Ajit Pawar couldn`t ensure victory of his son Parth Pawar in the Maval seat in the last Lok Sabha elections 2024 and now the process of his wife`s defeat has begun,” Sanjay Raut claimed, the PTI reported.

“Rahul Gandhi is getting a tremendous response in the country and you will see a change in government after June 4 (the day of vote counting),” he further claimed.

Asked about Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde stating that Shiv Sena founder late Bal Thackeray said that he will never allow his party to become the Congress, Sanjay Raut said, “When Indira Gandhi was in trouble, Balasaheb supported her. Both the leaders shared a warm relationship. Balasaheb had not contested an election once to support the Congress,” the news agency further reported.

“CM Eknath Shinde has become a sycophant of a party which wants to weaken Maharashtra and hurt the Marathi pride,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader alleged.

CM Shinde is yet to officially announce candidates in Thane, Kalyan, Mumbai North West and Nashik Lok Sabha seats, Sanjay Raut pointed out.

He claimed the MVA will win 30-35 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra.

“If you are so confident of winning, why is Ajit Pawar threatening people in Baramati,” Sanjay Raut said, reported the PTI.

He dubbed the Shinde-led party as “Shiv Sena (Fadnavis) group” and claimed “it`s like a Modi-Shah private limited.”

Asked about the BJP fielding well-known lawyer Ujjwal Nikam from Mumbai North Central seat, Sanjay Raut claimed, “As per my knowledge, multiple leaders from the BJP rejected to contest polls from the Mumbai North Central constituency. No doubt, he (Nikam) is one of the prominent faces but the Maha Vikas Aghadi will win the seat.”

(with PTI inputs)

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