Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.
Credit: PTI Photo
Mumbai: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde who would be leading the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP alliance in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha polls will undertake a state-wide tour to make his party election-ready.
Shinde is the chief leader of the Shiv Sena, which was founded by late Balasaheb Thackeray 57 years ago for the cause of Marathi-manoos and Hindutva.
In June-July 2022, Shinde rebelled against then Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation with the help of BJP.
It may be mentioned that BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis, who is the Deputy Chief Minister, had announced that Shinde would lead the polls for the MahaYuti-NDA grouping.
During the Shiv Sankalp Abhiyan, which is the campaign of the Shiv Sena, Shinde would traverse through 36 districts and 48 Lok Sabha constituencies.
The Phase 1 would commence on January 6 in Yavatmal while the Phase 2 would start from January 25.
Addressing party workers through video conferencing, Shinde had asked them to prepare for the Lok Sabha polls and campaign for Maha Yuti candidates.
The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP ruling coalition has set an ambitious target of winning 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats and 215 of the 288 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly seats.
The other parties of the BJP-led Maha Yuti includes Ramdas Athawale-led Republic Party of India (Athawale), Hitendra Thakur-led Bahujan Vikas Aghadi, Bachchu Kadu-led Prahar Janshakti Party, Prof Jogendra Kawade-led People’s Republican Party, Sadabhau Khot-led Rayat Kranti Sanghatana, Vinay Kore-led Jansurajya Party, Mahadev Jankar-led Rashtriya Samaj Party.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, out of the 48 seats in Maharashtra, the BJP secured 23 seats, followed by the undivided Shiv Sena with 18 seats and the undivided NCP with four seats.