Maha parties woo independents who might play kingmakers
NCP-SP Maharashtra state president Jayant Patil and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat have already begun contacting many independent candidates, just in case the MVA falls short of a majority.
In the lead-up to his scheduled public meetings in Nagpur, the home turf of the RSS, NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar Thursday said that people of Maharashtra want change, and stressed that work has to be done to boost public confidence.
Speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Pawar stated, “People of Maharashtra want change. Work has to be done to increase their confidence.”
Sharad Pawar pointed out that the opposition’s campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has started.
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The MVA campaign was officially launched with a massive rally on Wednesday, and was attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray, and Pawar himself.
“Our campaign for the Maharashtra Assembly elections has started,” he said. “Yesterday, Rahul Gandhi, Uddhav Thackeray, and I marked the campaign’s start. Today, I have three meetings in Nagpur, and tomorrow, I will address a gathering in Hinganghat. Following that, meetings will be held across the rest of Maharashtra.”
One of the tallest Opposition leaders in Maharashtra, Pawar also extended support to Rahul Gandhi’s push for a caste census and the removal of the 50 per cent cap on reservations.
Sharing his party’s stance on the issue, Pawar said, “We have been demanding a caste census for three years. The facts that emerge will be important for the country. It will be necessary to increase the reservation limit, which currently stands at 50 per cent, to reflect an accurate picture.”
The Maharashtra Assembly elections for the 288-seat assembly are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting and results expected on November 23.
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