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.
Mr. Thackeray, while addressing leaders of 21 socialist parties in the State on Sunday, claimed differences with them were mainly ideological which can be settled for the cause of democracy.
The Sena (UBT) leader had also said "many of them may be Muslims but they are nationalists who want to protect the country's democracy".
CM Shinde was speaking to reporters during a visit to a Navaratri programme in Thane city shortly after midnight on Wednesday.
Asked about the issue of disqualification petitions filed against him and other Shiv Sena MLAs, Mr. Shinde said, "In a democracy, the majority has importance and in the State Assembly 50 MLAs are with us, we are the real Shiv Sena and this has been confirmed by the Election Commission. We have faith in the judiciary and court and whatever decision is to happen will happen on merit and democracy." A revolt by Mr. Shinde and other MLAs in June last year led to a split in the Shiv Sena and collapse of the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Mr. Shinde later formed government with the BJP's support.
In July this year, NCP leader Ajit Pawar and eight other party MLAs joined the Shinde-led government.
The CM said, “The ‘Mahayuti’ constituents will now concentrate on ensuring to get 45 MPs elected from the State.” Mr. Shinde also said the Dussehra rally of ‘Azad Shiv Sainiks’ will be held at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai next week and expressed confidence that it will be a success.
The reason for calling it the ‘Azad Shiv Sena’ is because of the work done by our activities of “freeing” the Shiv Sena, and its bow and arrow symbol. “The EC has officially given us the Shiv Sena name and the bow and arrow symbol,” he said.
"This Hindutva is not adulterated. Our thoughts are of Balasaheb's Hindutva and hence this Dussehra rally will give the message of Balasaheb thoughts," he said. On the Opposition's claims that his government will collapse, Mr. Shinde said this will never happen.
"Our government has become stronger and more than 200 MLAs are with us. The government is working with full zeal," he said.
“Hitting out at the Thackeray faction, the CM said they have joined hands with Samajwadi groups, and it would not be surprising if they also join hands with the Asaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM,” he said.
"This is degradation. It is degradation of thoughts. The entire country has seen the stand taken in 2019 just for power. What can we expect from them?" he said.
Mr. Shinde also said his government aims to strengthen the women self-help groups in the State and raise the number of its beneficiaries from the current 60 lakh to two crore.
