Maharashtra poll yatra as parties draw up strategies

MUMBAI: With Maharashtra assembly elections round the corner, all major political parties are hitting the road, by launching yatras for mass outreach.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar has launched Jan Samaan Yatra on Thursday. Ajit’s NCP fought five seats during the Lok Sabha polls, but won only one. Ajit’s NCP, which is facing a credibility crisis, have roped in a mega publicity agency to rejuvenate the cadre. The first phase of his yatra will be in Nasik in North Maharashtra, then go to western Maharashtra, Mumbai and Vidarbha.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP(SP) has also announced ‘Shiv Rajya Yatra’ under the leadership of its Lok Sabha MP Amol Kolhe and state president Jayant Patil. The party had won eight out of the 10 it contested in Lok Sabha.

Meanwhile, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction has arranged the Shiv Sankalp Melava across the state. Thackeray has held the programmes in Pune and Sambhaji Nagar recently, and is likely to address more of them.