Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Raju Shetti on Tuesday said his outfit is keen on joining hands with the Shiv Sena if it quits the NDA government at the Centre and the BJP-led dispensation in Maharashtra. The Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, headed by Shetti, had in 2017 pulled out of the NDA and the 'Mahayuti' (grand alliance) in Maharashtra, accusing the central government of failing to honour its promises made to farmers.

"If the Shiv Sena leaves NDA at the Centre and the state government, the farmers' consortium (referring to the Sanghatana) would certainly like to join hands with it," Shetti told PTI. Over 50 percent of the country's population still lives in rural areas and it is largely "hurt and affected" by the BJP-led government's policies, the Lok Sabha member from Maharashtra claimed.