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The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), led by Sharad Pawar, has declared its intention to unseat the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, a coalition comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena (Shinde faction), and NCP (Ajit Pawar). The NCP, in alliance with the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), is confident in their ability to win the upcoming Assembly elections, fueled by a recent surge in support and a claim that a prominent leader from another party is considering joining their ranks.
NCP state president Jayant Patil, while not disclosing the identity of the prospective leader, highlighted the discontent among voters regarding the Mahayuti's performance. The party believes that the Mahayuti will secure no more than 100 seats, citing a decline in the alliance's support base due to dissatisfaction with the BJP's leadership. NCP spokesperson Mahesh Tapase specifically pointed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent visit to Nagpur, where he urged BJP workers to increase their vote share by 10%, as evidence of the Mahayuti's dwindling popularity. Tapase countered that the alliance's vote share is likely to decrease by 20%, attributing this to the voters' disillusionment with the BJP's focus on power and neglect of development and jobs.
The NCP's claims of a prominent leader joining their ranks, along with their projections of the Mahayuti's electoral performance, indicate a heightened political climate in Maharashtra ahead of the elections. The NCP's confidence stems from a perceived discontent among the electorate, which they believe will translate into electoral gains. The Mahayuti, however, remains confident in their ability to retain power, relying on their strategic alliance and the BJP's central leadership to mobilize support.