United

MVA can win 200 Assembly, 40 LS seats: Sanjay Raut

First India Bureau

Pune: In a show of optimism, Shiv Sena - Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday claimed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) can win over 200 assembly and 40 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra next year if the allies fight in a united manner.

He was referring to the Congress candidate’s victory in the Kasba Peth bypoll.

Raut’s party, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Congress are partners in the MVA. Assembly polls in Maharashtra and general elections are due next year.

The Rajya Sabha MP was speaking in Pune, where he met newly elected Congress MLA

Ravindra Dhangekar who defeated the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Hemant Rasane in Kasba Peth.

“The smart voters of Kasba Peth have dealt a blow to the ruling party. They tried to buy voters here but failed to do so.

Kasba jhanki hai, Maharashtra baki hai’ (Kasba is just a glimpse, Maharashtra is still left),” Raut told reporters. MVA’s victory is an indicator of the state’s political future, he said.

For the upcoming local body elections, he said, alliances will be decided at the local level. But top MVA leaders are focussing on assembly and Lok Sabha polls, he said, adding that the partners can win over 200 assembly and 40 Lok Sabha seats next year if they fight together.

Facilities for docs: Dean suspended after CM’s visit

Thane (PTI): The dean and the deputy dean of civic-run Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital at Kalwa in Thane district were suspended on Saturday after Chief Minister Eknath Shinde expressed displeasure about the working conditions of doctors.

A release from the CMO said the dean Dr Yogesh Sharma and deputy dean Dr Suchitkumar Kamkhedkar have

Two

been placed under suspension by Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bhangar on Shinde’s orders.

The duo was held responsible for various lapses and a lack of facilities at the hospital.

Speaking after a visit to the hospital, Shinde, who is an MLA from Thane, said the doctors must be provided with better working conditions and facilities. Doc-

Docs work hard but do not get good facilities, CM noted after visit to govt hosp tors work hard but are not getting good facilities, Shinde noted. Shinde on the occasion also launched road repair works and an underground parking facility in Thane.