MVA could win 60-70% of total seats in Maharashtra in Lok Sabha polls: Sharad Pawar

NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar said Maha Vikas Aghadi could win 60 to 70 percent of the total seats in Maharashtra, while addressing media persons after MVA candidate Shashikant Shinde filed his nomination papers in the presence of Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

Satara: NCP (SP) leader Sharad Pawar on Monday said Maha Vikas Aghadi could win 60 to 70 percent of the total seats in Maharashtra in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Pawar was addressing media persons after MVA candidate Shashikant Shinde filed his nomination papers in the presence of Pawar and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan.

MVA allies Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) and Congress are contesting 21, 10, and 17 seats, respectively, in Maharashtra, which sends 48 members to Lok Sabha.

Speaking about the general elections scenario in the state, Pawar said, 'We (undivided NCP) won 4 seats while AIMIM and Congress emerged victorious on one seat each in the 2019 elections. This time, we (MVA) won't be surprised if we get 60 to 70 percent of the total seats'.

Speaking about the Satara Lok Sabha constituency, Pawar said Shashikant Shinde, who belongs to NCP (SP), is getting a good response from people who support progressive ideology.

An MLC, Shinde sided with Sharad Pawar after his nephew Ajit Pawar split the NCP and joined the Maharashtra government last year.

The ruling Mahayuti alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and NCP led by Ajit Pawar is yet to declare its nominee for Satara seat, though BJP leader Udayanraje Bhosale is the front-runner.

Bhosale lost against Shrinivas Patil of NCP (undivided) in the 2019 bypoll to Satara constituency.

Pawar said Satara district in west Maharashtra has always been supportive and people believe in progressive ideology.

"Satara has produced several eminent personalities. Our confidence gets boosted whenever we come to Satara. The Opposition doesn't have much to say now but we need not worry as Shashikant Shinde is getting good response from people," he added.

Commenting on Madha Lok Sabha constituency, the veteran politician took a dig at the BJP, which is struggling to contain discontentment over the candidature of sitting MP Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar.

"I once contested elections from Madha. It is a drought-affected area but people now board a private jet from Madha to reach Nagpur," Pawar said, apparently referring to some local leaders rushing to Nagpur to meet Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis.

Notably, BJP turncoat Dhairyasheel Mohite Patil was declared as the Sharad Pawar-led faction's candidate for Madha constituency in Solapur district on Sunday.

He will take on BJP's sitting MP Ranjit Naik Nimbalkar.