Haryana results will have positive impact on Maharashtra polls: Shiv Sena
Mumbai (PTI): The BJP's victory in Haryana will have a positive impact on the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai said on Wednesday, expressing confidence that Mahayuti alliance will clinch a victory.
Addressing a press conference with Mahayuti leaders and BJP MLC Prasad Lad, the coordinator of the alliance, Desai said the Mahayuti allies have completed the "homework" for the selection of nominees and sharing of seats.
Desai also announced coordinators or "Vidhan Sabha Samanvayaks" from the three parties- Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, for all 288 seats who have been asked to work at the booth level.
"Haryana polls will definitely impact Maharashtra elections positively," Desai added.
The BJP won the Haryana polls for a third consecutive term, defeating its nearest rival Congress in a bipolar contest.
Desai said the chief ministerial face for Mahayuti will be decided by leaders of three parties- Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Devendra Fadnavis (BJP), and Ajit Pawar (NCP).
Speaking on the poll strategy, Desai said the allies are taking precautions to ensure rebellions do not crop up over the distribution of tickets.
"After a candidate of a party is declared, other aspirants will also be called in for better coordination. In case of a rebellion, the coordination committee of Mahayuti parties will address the issue at the district and assembly levels," he added.
The Mahayuti allies have learnt their lessons from the setback in the Lok Sabha elections and ensured necessary changes are made before facing the assembly polls, he added.
The INDIA bloc allies in Maharashtra- Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and NCP (SP)- won 30 out of 48 seats in Lok Sabha elections, restricting the NDA tally to 17.
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SP has ended contract with I-PAC due to fund constraints: Akhilesh Yadav
Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday said his party has severed its association with the Indian Political Action Committee (I-PAC) due to a lack of funds.
He dismissed speculations that the termination of contract was because of recent election results.
Addressing a press conference here, Yadav said the party had engaged I-PAC for a brief period ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections but could not continue the arrangement.
"Yes, we had an association. They worked with us for a few months, but we are not able to continue because we do not have that kind of funding," he said.
The I-PAC is a political consultancy firm known for managing major election campaigns across the country.
Election strategist-turned-politician Prashant Kishor has also been associated with the organisation in the past and has worked with multiple parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
In a lighter vein, Yadav took a swipe at the ecosystem of political consultancies. "We thought that if we have to work with a 'winning agency', then there are several big companies."
He said that some people suggested conducting surveys, hiring another firm, keeping a social media company, and even engaging agencies for negative campaigning against other parties.
"There are one or two more companies whose names are not yet known. I can get those for you as well," Yadav said.
Yadav rejected the suggestion that the decision to end the deal was influenced by recent election outcomes in states such as West Bengal.
"There is no such thing. Do not ask questions based on baseless reports. That is not true," he said.
"This is not the reason for ending the agreement. We simply do not have enough funds. If you (the media) give us funds, we can hire another company," the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said.
