Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on October 18 said constituents of the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) will now focus on winning 45 out of the total 48 Lok Sabha seats in the State, in the general elections due next year.
Mahayuti comprises the ruling BJP, Shiv Sena led by CM Eknath Shinde and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) - Ajit Pawar faction.
Targeting Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for reaching out to socialist parties, Mr. Shinde told reporters, in Thane, that the move to join hands with the socialist leaders amounts to "adulteration" of the Hindutva ideology.
