In the Exclusive Interview of PM Narendra Modi to Rishi Darda, The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has intensified Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s campaigning in Maharashtra. where the BJP is part of the ruling alliances. The PM has so far held 14 rallies in Maharashtra, and this number could go up soon to 17 or 18, double of the PM’s nine rallies in 2019. The PM has so far more than 10 rallies in Maharashtra, and this number could go up soon to 17 or 18, double of the PM’s nine rallies in 2019. The two new allies of the BJP in Maharashtra, the Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar factions, remain untested in the electoral arena so far and there is a perception on ground that the original factions of Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar enjoy public sympathy in these elections, political observers say.
In a a special interview conducted by the joint managing director and editorial director of Lokmat Media Group Rishi Darda, the prime minister expressed his gratitude to the people of Maharashtra for their unwavering support towards his government. "The people of Maharashtra have been greatly supportive of the NDA's development-oriented vision. I am deeply grateful to them for their blessings and have worked to uphold the faith of the people in the form of initiatives that further the welfare of the people. Continuing further he said, the inauguration of Latur-based Marathwada Rail Coach Factory, a wagon repair workshop at Badnera and Vande Bharat chair car maintenance-cum-workshop depot in Pune are creating jobs for the youth while also making the country self-reliant. The Atal Setu, one of India's longest sea bridges, was finally delivered, and the people appreciate the efforts put into boosting ease of living.
In June 2022, Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde, along with 40 other MLAs, revolted against the party's leadership and jumped ship to the BJP, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led government. In 2023, the NCP also suffered a split when prominent leaders like Ajit Pawar and Chhagan Bhujbal joined hands with the ruling BJP in the state. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is now a part of the newly established INDIA bloc, formed to take on the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 seats it contested in alliance with the undivided Shiv Sena.