Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], October 23 : With just a few weeks remaining for the Maharashtra Assembly polls, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena leader Raju Waghmare exuded confidence in his party's electoral prospects, saying that the success rate of the Mahayuti in the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections would significantly surpass the performance in the Lok Sabha elections.
"Our strike rate in the Vidhan Sabha elections will be double than that of the Lok Sabha elections," Waghmare told ANI.
Speaking on the ongoing seat-sharing dispute within the Maha Vikas Aghadi, Raju Waghmare from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena while emphasizing their candidate selection said that their list of 45 candidates largely includes individuals who are aligned with the legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray.
"The list of 45 candidates that we have released, most of them are those who supported Hindu Hriday Samrat Balasaheb Thackeray. 4 to 5 people are chosen new as per a survey and the will of the people. Our strike rate in the Vidhan Sabha elections will be double than that of the Lok Sabha elections. I can say with confidence that our strike rate of 47 per cent in Lok Sabha polls will surpass and will go beyond 90 per cent for the forthcoming Assembly polls," said the Shiv Sena leader.
Also refuting any inside rivalries amongst the Mahayuti alliance, Waghmare said, "There is no dispute in the Mahayuti. Some names are delayed because the discussions are going on. If you look at Maha Vikas Aghadi, we heard that Abu Azmi (SP) may also declare their candidates."
He also took a dig at the opposition and said, "There is such a mess in MVA. We heard that Abu Azmi (SP) may also declare their candidates. The news of rifts is for the MVA. In Mahayuti everything is well. We are going to contest the polls unitedly."
Clearing the air around the speculation of a tussle over seat-sharing in Maha Vikas Aghadi, Raut said, "There is no difference of opinion among us. There is no animosity. Everything is going well."
Earlier in the day, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde visited the revered Kamakhya temple in Guwahati and said that he is confident in the Mahayuti alliance retaining power in Maharashtra.
Exuding confidence in winning the elections, he said, "I am more than a hundred per cent confident, because people will work in favour of the work Mahayuti government has done in two years, when compared with Maha Vikas Aghadi work in two and a half years and people can see development happening at a fast pace."
Calling the Mahayuti alliance a 'common man's government' he further highlighted that the government has done a lot of developmental work.
"Our government is a common man's government, and that is why there should be a change and improvement in the common man's life too. We have worked on improving the lives of the people," he added.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will contest from the Kopri-Pachpakhadi Assembly constituency.
Other candidates from the Shiv Sena included in the list are Manisha Ravindra Waykar from Jogeshwari (East), Suhas Dwarkanath Kande from Nandgao, Pradip Shivnarayan Jaiswal from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (middle) and Balaji Devidasrao Kalyankar from Nanded North.
The party has pushed for CM Shinde to be presented as the face for the chief ministerial position in its recent meeting held on October 18.
Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with the counting for all 288 assembly constituencies to be held on November 23.
The main electoral contest is between two alliances; the ruling Mahayuti alliance - comprising of the BJP along with Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) - comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress. Both the factions have intensified their preparations as the polling dates draw near.
Earlier, Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) released its first list of candidates, with deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar contesting from Baramati. In the 2019 Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress won 44 seats.