Maha parties woo independents who may play kingmakers

The BJP-backed Mahayuti and the Congress-backed opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) have both officially claimed that they will win enough assembly seats to form the next Maharashtra government easily.

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However, it is already a well-known secret that Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-Sharad Pawar) Maharashtra state president Jayant Patil and Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat have already begun contacting many independent candidates, just in case the MVA falls short of a majority.

In fact, party workers themselves have admitted it informally.

Earlier on Thursday, when Devendra Fadnavis was asked if the BJP is in contact with any independent candidates potential opposition candidates contacted, he had claimed here that "We will easily form the Maharashtra government and we have not contacted anyone".