 "Cong-NCP alliance hopes to win 24 seats in Maharashtra")
The ruling Congress and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) alliance in Maharashtra on Tuesday indicated they were quite hopeful of winning 24 of the 48 seats in the state.
The Congress party, which contested 27 seats, indicated that it would win 14, down three from the 2009 polls. On the other hand, the NCP, which had fielded its candidates on 21 seats, was hopeful that it would reach double digits from the eight seats won in the 2009 elections.
Both the parties were of the view that they would together bag 24 of the total 48 seats while the balance would go to the opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance.
Interestingly, the headquarters of the Congress and NCP wore a deserted look on Tuesday except two general secretaries each and two party spokespersons who were present there. On the other hand, the BJP's state office situated just opposite the LIC headquarters in south Mumbai witnessed a stream of party leaders and workers. There was a festive mood although senior office bearers were quite clear that the big celebration should only be after the results had been announced on Friday.
None of the Congress leaders in the state was ready to speak on record as the party had restrained them from sharing views on the findings of the exit polls.
However, a senior state Congress functionary, who did not want to be named, mocked the results of exit polls recalling that findings of such polls in the 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections had gone wrong.
“Of the 10 seats in Vidarbha, the Congress is expected to win Yavatmal and Gadchiroli. Of the eight seats in the Marathwada region, Congress candidates will emerge victorious in Nanded, Jalna and Hingoli. In Mumbai, out of six seats, it expects to bag three,” he told Business Standard.
As far as western Maharashtra is concerned, the Congress hopes to bag Solapur, Hatkalangade and expects victory in Dhule, Nandurbar and Shirdi constituencies in north Maharashtra. Further, the Congress party is sure about retaining the Bhiwandi seat in Thane where Muslims and Aagris would be the deciding factor.
In case of the NCP, a party general secretary, who was associated with the election management, said the party's high profile leader and union minister Praful Patel was quite certain to retain his Bhandara-Gondia seat in Vidarbha while party candidates would win Parbhani and Osmanabad. Furthermore, the NCP is quite confident about retaining Satara, Baramati and Madha while winning Ahmednagar and Kolhapur. According to the NCP leader, the party would bag Nashik and Raigad constituencies.
The Congress party, which contested 27 seats, indicated that it would win 14, down three from the 2009 polls. On the other hand, the NCP, which had fielded its candidates on 21 seats, was hopeful that it would reach double digits from the eight seats won in the 2009 elections.
Both the parties were of the view that they would together bag 24 of the total 48 seats while the balance would go to the opposition Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alliance.
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The Congress and NCP further added they would survive the “Modi Wave”, contrary to the results of various exit polls, which have given the ruling alliance a mere 12 to 15 seats together and over 32 seats to the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance.
Interestingly, the headquarters of the Congress and NCP wore a deserted look on Tuesday except two general secretaries each and two party spokespersons who were present there. On the other hand, the BJP's state office situated just opposite the LIC headquarters in south Mumbai witnessed a stream of party leaders and workers. There was a festive mood although senior office bearers were quite clear that the big celebration should only be after the results had been announced on Friday.
None of the Congress leaders in the state was ready to speak on record as the party had restrained them from sharing views on the findings of the exit polls.
However, a senior state Congress functionary, who did not want to be named, mocked the results of exit polls recalling that findings of such polls in the 1999, 2004 and 2009 elections had gone wrong.
“Of the 10 seats in Vidarbha, the Congress is expected to win Yavatmal and Gadchiroli. Of the eight seats in the Marathwada region, Congress candidates will emerge victorious in Nanded, Jalna and Hingoli. In Mumbai, out of six seats, it expects to bag three,” he told Business Standard.
As far as western Maharashtra is concerned, the Congress hopes to bag Solapur, Hatkalangade and expects victory in Dhule, Nandurbar and Shirdi constituencies in north Maharashtra. Further, the Congress party is sure about retaining the Bhiwandi seat in Thane where Muslims and Aagris would be the deciding factor.
In case of the NCP, a party general secretary, who was associated with the election management, said the party's high profile leader and union minister Praful Patel was quite certain to retain his Bhandara-Gondia seat in Vidarbha while party candidates would win Parbhani and Osmanabad. Furthermore, the NCP is quite confident about retaining Satara, Baramati and Madha while winning Ahmednagar and Kolhapur. According to the NCP leader, the party would bag Nashik and Raigad constituencies.