With allies on stage, Sharad Pawar says if MVA decides, there can be change in Maharashtra

Pawar's message to MVA: Nationalist Congress Party supremo Sharad Pawar on Sunday (July 30) said that if his party and Maha Vikas Aghadi allies - Shiv Sena UBT and Congress decide they can bring about a change in Maharashtra.

Pawar said that it was difficult to engage with the present state government led by Eknath Shinde.

Speaking at a book launch function where he shared the stage with Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and senior Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat, the NCP supremo recalled how the previous governments helped in the preservation of ancient art and culture, literature, and history.

"But it is difficult for us to engage with the present state government, But some solution will come out. If we three (MVA components) decide, there can be change," he asserted.

For the first time since the NCP split on July 2 due to Ajit Pawar’s rebellion, all three MVA allies had shared a stage together.

During the event, Pawar, said Yeshwantrao Chavan Pratishthan, which he heads, will give Rs 50 lakh to Rajawade Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal, the group that published the books.

On July 2, Ajit Pawar and eight NCP MLAs joined the Eknath Shinde government.

Pawar’s remarks came a day after India TV-CNX Opinion Poll predicted that the BJP is likely to suffer a loss of 3 seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and that the Uddhav Thackeray faction is likely to improve its tally as he seemingly remains the first choice of people among the two factions of Shiv Sena.

According to the Opinion Poll, the BJP is likely to win 20 seats, suffering a loss of 3, while its ally Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde is predicted to win only 2 seats as against its rival faction led by Uddhav Thackeray which is shown to grab 11 seats in 2024. The prediction shows that the loyal voters of Shiv Sena have been undeterred by the split in the party and are likely to back Uddhav Thackeray over Eknath Shinde in the next year's polls.

(With PTI inputs)

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