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Prakash Sambhaji Shinde, brother of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Wednesday urged voters to step out and support his brother as the state votes for its assembly elections.
Speaking to ANI, Prakash Shinde said, "The CM is contesting from Kopri-Pachpakhadi. I urge everyone to step out and vote. CM Shinde has done a lot of work in Maharashtra. So, the people of the state want him back as the CM." He further added, "Shiv Sena had a good strike rate in the Lok Sabha elections. This time too, Shiv Sena will have the highest strike rate. I am hopeful... I hope that he will have a lead of at least 1.5 lakh votes because he has worked. He has been an MLA for 20 years... Mahayuti will win again." Earlier, Maharashtra CM's brother offered prayers at a temple.. Meanwhile, Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, contesting from the Baramati Assembly constituency, also cast his vote. After voting, he said, "Even during Lok Sabha elections, members of our family were contesting against each other, and everyone has seen that. I tried to meet everyone in Baramati. I am hopeful that this time the people of Baramati will make me victorious." Addressing allegations of money distribution by BJP's Vinod Tawde, he added, "The people of Baramati will think about it." Voting began at 7 am for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections and will conclude at 6 pm. Polling is taking place across 288 assembly constituencies. Ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged citizens to vote via his official account on social media platform X. "Today, votes will be cast for all the seats in the Maharashtra Assembly elections. I urge the voters of the state to participate with full enthusiasm and add to the splendour of this festival of democracy. On this occasion, I appeal to all the youth and women voters to come out in large numbers to vote," PM Modi posted on X. The primary contest is between the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance and the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and the Nationalist Congress Party (Ajit Pawar faction), while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and the Congress won 44. In 2014, the BJP claimed 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42. (ANI)
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