Ahead of launching his party’s campaign for the State Assembly polls through a 4,384 km-long ‘Mahajanadesh Yatra’ on Thursday, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday that the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance was “intact” and the two saffron parties would re-capture power in the State with a resounding majority.
Addressing a news conference after welcoming a host of leaders from the NCP and Congress, including four sitting MLAs, into the BJP, Fadnavis said: “As many NCP and Congress have of late joined our party, some vested interests are to trying to create a wedge between the BJP and Shiv Sena. Let me tell you our alliance is intact. Together, we will recapture power in the State Assembly with a resounding majority”.
Fadnavis said that the seat sharing arrangement for the State Assembly polls between the BJP and Shiv Sena would be formalised within a fortnight. “During the next 15 days, we will hold discussions with the Shiv Sena leaders and formalise the seat-sharing tie-up. At best, we may swap some seats between the two parties. Otherwise, everything will be as planned earlier”.
It may be recalled that on June 2, senior BJP leader and now State party president Chandrakant Patil had gone to town saying that the BJP and ShivSena would contest 135 seats each in the State Assembly polls, setting aside the remaining 18 seats for their allies.
Meanwhile, Fadnavis will kick off his yatra at Mozari in Amarvati district in eastern Maharashtra on Thursday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of social reformerTukaram Bhaurao Sathe, popularly known as Annabahu Sathe and death anniversary of free fighter Bal Gangdhar Tilak. He will conclude his campaign tour at Nashik in north Maharashtra on August 31.
With the BJP having already gone to town that it — together with its alliance partner Shiv Sena — will win more than 220 out of 288 seats in the State, Fadnavis will go to people with twin poll planks “Phir ek bar Shivshahi Sarkar” (Saffron alliance Government once again) and “Ab ki baar 220 ke par (We’ll cross 220 seat mark this time)".
The Yatra — during which he will reach out the BJP-led State Government’s achievements during the last five years will take him to all regions —Konkan (638 km), Western Maharashtra (812 km), Vidarbha (1232 km), North Maharashtra (633 km), Marathwada (1069 km) — in the state.
During his tour, the chief minister will visit 150 out of the total 288 Assembly constituencies in the State.
Fadnavis will travel on a special rath (van) equipped with a special LED screen to highlight the achievements of the BJP-Shiv Sena government during the past five years.
During his tour of 15o Assembly constituencies, the chief minister will address 85 big rallies, 75 small rallies and meet people in as many as 238 villages en route. Fadnavis’ decision to restrict himself to touring 15o of the total 288 Assembly constituencies should be seen in the context of the fact that the ruling BJP will contest the Assembly polls in alliance with the Shiv Sena.