Pune : Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis took a dig at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who claimed that the BJP will win only 150 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and said "there's nothing more to comment on than to laugh."
"I can only laugh at this statement; there is nothing more to comment on it. If Congress had any connection at ground level, the situation would not have been as bad as it is now," Fadnavis said.
Fadnavis's statement comes in the wake of the Congress leader stating that there is a strong undercurrent in favour of the opposition INDIA bloc in the Lok Sabha elections and the BJP will be limited to 150 seats.
"I do not make predictions about seats. 15-20 days ago, I was thinking the BJP would win around 180 seats but now I think they will get 150 seats. We are getting reports from every state that we are improving. We have a very strong alliance in Uttar Pradesh and we will perform very well," the former Congress president said while addressing a joint press conference with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday.
Fadnavis termed the 2024 Lok Sabha elections a fight between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rahul Gandhi and said, "I am confident that we will win in Baramati, Satara, and Sangli Lok Sabha constituencies."
"This fight is for the country...This fight is between PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi; therefore, people will stay with PM Modi. They will support the PM so that he can become Prime Minister for the third time. The country has faith in PM Modi. The PM has already clarified that the Constitution is more important than the Gita, Bible, or Quran. It is because of the Constitution that today we have a tea seller as PM of the nation," he said.
The MVA and the ruling Mahayuti, comprising the BJP, NCP led by Ajit Pawar, and Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, are in a tough contest for the 48 parliamentary seats in Maharashtra.
Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the second-largest after Uttar Pradesh. The BJP and the undivided Shiv Sena fought the 2019 Lok Sabha polls together and won 23 and 18 seats, respectively.
The 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will go to the polls in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20.
The counting of votes is scheduled to take place on June 4.