Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 10 : Ahead of the Maharashtra elections, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and actor Ravi Kishan on Saturday campaigned in support of party candidate Atul Bhatkhalkar, who is contesting from the Kandivali East Assembly constituency in Mumbai.
He appealed to the people, urging them to vote for Atul in a manner similar to how people in Haryana came together and voted, setting aside caste and religion. "I want to appeal to the people through your media channel that, just as they came forward as Hindus in Haryana and voted for the government, keeping aside their caste and national religion, they should do the same for Atul," Kishan said while speaking to ANI.
Further, Kishan emphasized that the Bhojpuri community, which numbers over 50 million, should unite in Mumbai and vote for the BJP.
"The Bhojpuri community, consisting of more than 50 million people, should come together in Mumbai and speak with one voice. When they unite, they can help bring the BJP government to power in the state. The BJP government will lead Maharashtra's progress. We cannot allow space for the other robbers. Our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the face of Maharashtra, and we are going to win here," he added.
The Kandivali East constituency will go to polls on November 20, along with all other seats in Maharashtra. In the 2019 state assembly polls, BJP candidate Atul Bhatkhalkar won the Kandivali East seat with a margin of 52354 votes.
Maharashtra has 288 assembly constituencies. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, which includes the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23.
The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), seeks to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.