Union Home Minister Amit Shah, on October 16, predicted a two-thirds majority for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Maharashtra Assembly elections.
However, in an exclusive interview to Network 18's Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi, did not ruled out the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) getting an absolute majority on its own.
Shah said that while it was premature to offer what the tally would be, the BJP will surely improve on its tally from last time.
In 2014, BJP and the Shiv Sena had fought separately. The BJP had won 122 seats, finishing short of the halfway mark. It had later formed the government with Shiv Sena's support.
Asked if the BJP, which is contesting on 164 seats, could get enough seats to form the government on its own, Shah said, "Yes, we can go that far. It is not impossible."
Speaking about his party's stand on ally Shiv Sena's push to get the Deputy Chief Minister's post, Shah said that his party is open to the idea. However, the BJP National President made it clear that Devendra Fadnavis will continue as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra if NDA, locally known as 'Maha-Yuti' retains power.
Shah said that the people of the state stood behind BJP "like a rock" and that development work carried out by the ruling alliance over the five-year term had convinced voters to give them the mandate again.
He said: "BJP's journey in Maharashtra has been successful and interesting. In 2014 we went alone and emerged as the biggest party, then formed government with Shiv Sena...In 15 years of UPA (United Progressive Alliance)'s rule in the state, which used to be number one in agriculture, investments, cooperative, industry, fell way below. In our five years we have brought the state on all these parameters back between number 1 and 5th position."
Shah said that the state was developing critical infrastructure at a breakneck speed with special attention from the Centre.
He also said that the 'jodi' of CM Fadnavis and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has worked well for Maharashtra, underscoring the 'Narendra-Devendra' formula that BJP workers are going to people with, and which the prime minister himself has highlighted in his speeches in Maharashtra.
"Earlier governments gave only Rs 1.22 lakh crore to Maharashtra in five years, the prime minister has given the state three times as much -- Rs 4.78 lakh crore. Development works have percolated down to the ground level. We have in the last five years laid the foundation of all the development works that we plan to execute in the next 20 years," Shah said.
Shah also said that the unblemished image of the Fadnavis led government in the state has also put the voters behind BJP.
"In five years not even the staunchest political opponents of BJP in Maharashtra have been able to level one charge of corruption against our government just as they haven't been able to do for the prime minister at the Centre," Shah added.
Maharashtra will head for polling on October 21, along with Haryana. Counting of votes in both states will happen on October 24.
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