'MVA government in Maharashtra will complete term, retain power in 2024 Assembly elections': Sanjay Raut

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government in Maharashtra will last a full term and retain power in the 2024 Assembly elections, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said here on Friday.

Raut's comments came a day after former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that as in neighbouring Goa, the BJP will return to power in Maharashtra on its own in the next elections. The MVA is made up of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress.

The Uddhav Thackeray government has completed two-and-half years. Another two-and-half-year will pass. Elections will be held again (in 2024) and we will retain power, Raut told reporters here.

Asked about Fadnavis's comment, Raut said Fadnavis had been the BJP's in-charge for the Goa Assembly polls and the victory in that state has emboldened him to make such a prediction. But Fadnavis will soon find out what Goa is, the Shiv Sena leader said cryptically.

Even the Portuguese and British did not understand Goa. Several political parties also could not understand it," he said.

To a question, Raut accused the BJP of destroying the "culture and humour" that marked Maharashtra's politics earlier.

“People are afraid of speaking now. Such a situation did not exist in Maharashtra earlier. Unfortunately, our friends in the BJP have done this,” he said.