Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday rejected the verdict of Mahayuti inching towards a landslide victory and claimed that the ruling establishment has done some 'gabad'. The ruling BJP-led Mahayuti alliance appeared set to retain power in Maharashtra and was leading in 204 of the 288 assembly seats, as per the latest figures by the Election Commission. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi was stumbling, with its candidates leading in just 47 seats, as per the early trends.
"They have done some 'gadbad', they have stolen some of our seats...This cannot be the public's decision. even the public does not agree with these results. Once the results are out, we will talk more. In every election seat, money-counting machines were installed. Is it possible that Shinde gets 60 seats, Ajit Pawar gets 40 seats and BJP gets 125 seats? The people of this state are not dishonest. We have their faith in the people of Maharashtra," Sanjay Raut said
"From what we are seeing, it seems that something is wrong. This was not the decision of the public. Everyone will understand what is wrong here. What did they (Mahayuti) do that they are getting more than 120 seats? How is it that MVA is getting not even 75 seats in Maharashtra?," he added.
Indicating a landslide victory for the ruling alliance, TV channels said the Mahayuti was ahead in 212 seats and MVA in 68 constituencies, as counting of votes commenced Saturday morning in the November 20 elections. As per ECI figures, in the Mahayuti, BJP candidates were leading in 111 seats, Shiv Sena in 58 and NCP in 35 seats.
In the MVA, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) candidates were leading in 9 seats, Congress in 20 and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) in 18 seats. Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar were leading in their respective assembly constituencies in the first round of the counting of votes.
