Sanjay Raut cited a "credible information"
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed a majority of MLAs and MPs of the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party and almost all lawmakers of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will join the Bharatiya Janata Party "in future". Talking to reporters, the Rajya Sabha MP said if the BJP gives tickets to lawmakers of the Ajit Pawar camp and Shinde's Shiv Sena, then they will contest on its symbol.
"According to credible information that I have, a majority of MLAs and MPs of the Ajit Pawar faction (of the NCP) and almost all MLAs and MPs of the Shinde faction will join the BJP in the future," Raut said.
Lawmakers of the Shinde and Ajit Pawar camps will not get votes on 'bow and arrow' and 'clock' symbols, respectively, adding they have to contest polls under the aegis of the BJP.
The Shiv Sena ((UBT) leader asserted a majority of those who deserted Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar will be defeated.
The Shiv Sena split in June last year after Mr Shinde revolted and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government under Thackeray.
Mr Shinde became CM with the support of the BJP.
On July 2 this year, the NCP suffered a vertical split after Ajit Pawar and eight MLAs joined the Shinde government.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)