MVA will win 180 seats in Maharashtra assembly elections, says Jayant Patil

Patil on Wednesday met Shiv Sena-UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray to congratulate him on winning nine seats. “We have won despite the use of government machinery against us. Huge loads of money was distributed, even on the day of polling. None of our complaints was addressed. But still we won, thanks to the leadership of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar,” he said.

He noted that ever since the results on Tuesday, a number of calls and messages from different parts of the state has increased, expressing willingness to work with the party under the leadership of Sharad Pawar. “We feel that those who went with a certain leader want to return,” said Patil.

“The way the Maharashtra government was formed seem to have cost them a lot and now he (Devendra Fadnavis) is trying to side himself (by resigning). But the people of Maharashtra have decided. All our surveys showed that around 52% of respondents were negative about the central government. But for the state government, the number was more than 60 to 70%,” said Patil, adding that people of the state are waiting for the elections.

The NCP-SP leader taunted that since Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has won seven seats compared to nine of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both parties have reached equal level in Maharashtra. “BJP coming to single digit is a worrying fact for the Centre and the BJP will now not dare to contest the upcoming polls on its own,” said Patil.