Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday welcomed the declaration of the Lok Sabha poll schedule and said the Maha Vikas Aghadi was ready for it.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). It is pitted against the ruling alliance consisting of the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, the Bharatiya Janata Party and Ajit Pawar's NCP.

"We only want the Election Commission to ensure free and fair polls, " Raut told PTI.

Queried about Maharashtra going to polls in five phases, Raut said several new things were happening under the current regime.

"The MVA will announce its candidates after the rally in Mumbai tomorrow," he informed.

Meanwhile, in a post on X, Clyde Crasto, national spokesperson of NCP(SP) said, "Five phases in Maharashtra. What is the BJP trying to so? Is this fear or EVM." Maharashtra has 48 Lok Sabha seats, the highest after Uttar Pradesh's 80.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis exuded confidence that the BJP-led NDA will cross 400 seats.

"And the festival of democracy declared ! 400 plus on 4th June 2024," the senior BJP leader said in a post on X. Votes will be counted on June 4 at the end of the seven-phase Lok Sabha polls.

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