Lawmakers of Ajit Pawar, Eknath Shinde will fight on BJP symbol: Sanjay Raut

On Thursday, Sanjay Raut, a leader from the Shiv Sena (UBT), asserted that a significant number of MLAs and MPs affiliated with the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, as well as the majority of legislators from Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, are likely to align with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the future.

Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said if the BJP gives tickets to lawmakers of the Ajit Pawar camp and Shinde’s Shiv Sena, then they will contest on its symbol. According to credible information that I have, a majority of MLAs and MPs of the Ajit Pawar faction (of the NCP) and almost all MLAs and MPs of the Shinde faction will join the BJP in future, Raut said.

Lawmakers associated with the Shinde and Ajit Pawar factions will not receive votes under the bow and arrow and clock symbols, respectively. Instead, they are expected to participate in elections under the banner of the BJP. The leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) emphasized that a majority of those who defected from Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar's camps are likely to face defeat.

The division within Shiv Sena occurred in June of the previous year when Shinde led a revolt, resulting in the downfall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Thackeray. Shinde then assumed the role of Chief Minister with the backing of the BJP. On July 2 of the current year, the NCP experienced a vertical split when Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Shinde-led government.