Maharashtra minister Sanjay Bansode calls for strengthening of Bharatiya Janata Party-led 'Mahayuti' ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections

Maharashtra minister Sanjay Bansode Sunday appealed people to strengthen Mahayuti grand alliance of Bharatiya Janata Party Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party Ajit Pawar faction and make a resolve to elect Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third term in the 2024 Lok Sabha electionsAddressing a rally of Mahayuti partners in Latur Bansode said the prime minister is working for the development of all castes and religions newswire PTI reportedWorkers of Shiv Sena BJP and Ajit Pawarled NCP should strengthen the Mahayuti at the district tehsil village and booth levels the minister of sports and youth welfare saidWhile Uddhav Thackeray never stepped out of his residence when he was the chief minister during the COVID19 pandemic his deputy Ajit Pawar worked roundtheclock to help people he said and also hailed the leadership of incumbent chief minister Eknath ShindeBansode who belongs to the Ajit Pawar camp of NCP also claimed that the erstwhile MVA government created hurdles in the implementation of a water grid scheme for the Marathwada region announced by Devendra Fadnavis when he was the chief ministerHe said Modi should become PM again after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections given the development works and welfare schemes launched by his government over the last ten yearsMeanwhile in a setback for Congress in Mumbai ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha elections former Union minister Milind Deora Sunday quit the party to walk the path of development and joined the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde ending a 55 years old association of the Deora family with the Grand Old PartyWith Deora resigning just before the start of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra the Congress alleged that the timing of the announcement of his departure from the party was determined by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for headline management to counter the yatra and asserted that it would have no impactThe former Mumbai South MP announced his decision to resign from the primary membership of the party on social media platform X in the morning hours on SundayToday marks the conclusion of a significant chapter in my political journey I have tendered my resignation from the primary membership of the Congress ending my familys 55year relationship with the party I am grateful to all leaders colleagues and karyakartas for their unwavering support over the years Deora statedHe later went to Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi to offer prayersIn the afternoon Deora joined the Shiv Sena in the presence of Eknath Shinde in a function at Varsha the official residence of the chief ministerEarlier in the day when Deora stepped out of his residence Ramalayam in south Mumbai he told reporters that he was going to walk on the path of developmentDeora who was recently appointed the joint treasurer of the All India Congress Committee had expressed disapproval at the Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT staking a claim to the Mumbai South Lok Sabha constituency which he had represented in the pastThe undivided Shiv Senas Arvind Sawant now with the Thackeray faction had defeated Deora in the 2014 and 2019 general electionsDeora was also the head of the Mumbai Congress at one time He is the son of party stalwart late Murli DeoraAfter Deora announced his resignation on X Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad said it was unfortunate that he had quit the party on the day when the Rahul Gandhiled Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra commences from ManipurMaharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called it a ploy by the Bharatiya Janata Party to divert the attention from the Yatra and mocked Deora as a twice defeated candidateFormer chief minister Ashok Chavan said Deora wanted to contest from the Mumbai South constituency but the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances understanding is that the sitting MP must not be disturbedThe BJP was spreading rumours that the Congress will split Now the BJP and its allies are taking along with them a twicedefeated candidate to divert attention from the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra This attempt will not be successful Patole saidShiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut however said there would be no compromise on the Mumbai South Lok Sabha seatArvind Sawant is a twotime MP of Shiv SenaUBT What is wrong with him contesting again There will be no compromise on this Raut assertedIn a swipe at BJP NCP Sharad Pawar faction MP Supriya Sule asked if the saffron party had no talent of its ownAsked about Deoras resignation Sule said the BJP and its allies were becoming the Congress an apparent reference to leaders from the grand old party switching allegiance to the ruling side With inputs from PTI