Union ministers discuss road map for Maharashtra polls with state BJP leaders

Mumbai, Jun 29 (PTI) Union ministers Bhupender Yadav and Ashwini Vaishnaw on Saturday met Maharashtra BJP functionaries to discuss the road map for the assembly elections, due later this year, a party leader said.

This was the first such meeting after Yadav and Vaishnaw were appointed in-charge and co-incharge, respectively, for the state polls.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Mumbai president Ashish Shelar and about 30 prominent party leaders from the state attended the meeting.

Shelar said their “road map to win the assembly polls” was being prepared.

The state budget, which was presented on Friday, focuses on women, farmers and youth and it has been welcomed by all citizens, Shelar said.

“We will win the assembly polls with our allies,” he said. The Maharashtra assembly has 288 members.

In the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, also comprising Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP under Ajit Pawar, in Maharashtra bagged only 17 seats, way below its expectations.

By contrast, the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi, which has Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by Uddhav Thackeray and NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar as partners, won 30 seats.