Maharashtra Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) President Jayant Patil said the 2024 Assembly polls in the state will be all about the BJP versus the MVA and that there will be a question mark on the existence of the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena.
Patil said he feels the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest all the 288 Assembly seats on its symbol as he expressed confidence that the Shinde group will cease the exist. I don't think the Shinde group will remain intact when the fight would be between the BJP and the MVA.
Patil alleged that the BJP doesn't want to recognise the existence of local political outfits and allow their growth. The BJP has worked to destroy smaller parties – allies or rivals. The BJP's single-point agenda is to destabilise smaller parties so that it can grab their vote share, said the NCP leader.
If the Shinde group manages to exist till then, BJP will at the last minute allow them to contest 48 seats and tell them only five to six of their nominees can win, said Patil.
When asked about the CM's statement in the Assembly on the demands of farmers participating in the long march, Patil said the government has increased the money for onion procurement to Rs 350 per quintal despite the demand being Rs 500 to Rs 600. A committee has been set up to decide claims of forest land rights. This is nothing but delaying tactics, he said.