Maharashtra: CM Shinde claims ruling alliance will win 45 LS seats in 2024

Nagpur, Dec 2 (PTI) Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has claimed that the ruling alliance of the Shiv Sena led by him, Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party and Bharatiya Janata Party will win at least 45 of the 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the next year's general elections.

He was speaking to reporters at the airport here on Friday.

Asked about Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's statement at an NCP conclave that his party will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Baramati and certain other constituencies in Pune district (when seat-sharing talks between the three parties are yet to place), Shinde said Pawar was also saying that the three parties will contest the polls together.

"The Mahayuti (grand alliance) will contest the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (Maharashtra assembly) elections together and we will win more than 45 seats for Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections," Shinde said.

Compensation will be given to the farmers who lost crops due to the unseasonal rains earlier this week once `panchnamas' or spot inspection reports are ready, the CM said in response to another question.

Meanwhile, speaking elsewhere, Hingoli MP Hemant Patil, who belongs to the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction, said all the 13 Sena MPs who support the chief minister (following a split in the Shiv Sena last year) will get tickets again in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

"Eknath Shinde has assured us about it," Patil told reporters.

While the Lok Sabha elections are likely to be held in May next year, the Maharashtra assembly polls may take place in October or November. PTI