BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis. (Express file photo)BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis Saturday said Rajya Sabha election results have exposed the cracks within the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in Maharashtra.
Notably, All three BJP Rajya Sabha candidates in Maharashtra – Piyush Goyal, Anil Bomde and Dhananjay Mhadik – won the polls held Friday.
The lone Congress candidate, Imran Pratapgadi, also emerged victorious. Besides, NCP candidate and former Union minister Praful Patel won comfortably. Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut also secured a seat in the Rajya Sabha but its second candidate Sanjay Pawar lost the election.
The polls for six Rajya Sabha seats took place Friday. Altogether 285 members voted. The vote of Shiv Sena’s Suhas Kande was declared invalid.
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“The election results have exposed the serious differences within the Maha Vikas Aghadi,” Fadnavis said while addressing the media at the state party headquarters in Mumbai.
He added, “The anger among elected members of the ruling coalition and smaller parties, Independents, was reflected in the defeat of Shiv Sena candidate Sanjay Pawar. Even its first candidate, Sanjay Raut, just managed to get the quota of 41 votes.”
Fadnavis said, “When the government fails the elected representatives and people, they scout for alternative forums to express their dissent. The BJP is the forum they chose to give a befitting reply to the ruling Sena.”
“The differences within the three parties are here to stay. They will not go away before the forthcoming state council polls… We know state council polls are not going to be easy. We are neither complacent nor overconfident. We will start preparations and planning to ensure victory for all five BJP candidates in the upcoming council polls.”
Responding to Raut’s charge of BJP misusing Central agencies to manipulate the polls, Fadnavis said, “I feel he should do some introspection. Even the third candidate of BJP, Dhananjay Mhadik, polled more votes than Raut. Instead of accusing the opposition, Raut should explain why ruling coalition MLAs are unhappy with the government.”
The former BJP chief minister said the party is eyeing to cross the magic figure in the 2024 Lok Sabha and state assembly polls on its own, and it has begun preparations for the same.
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