Maharashtra's BJP leadership has asserted that former MP and independent candidate from Borivali, Gopal Shetty, will not take any actions detrimental to the party. BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde stated on X, "I will never leave BJP. Gopalji Shetty has given this testimony after meeting Devendraji Fadnavis and Shivprakashji that he will not do anything that will harm the party." This declaration follows Shetty's recent rebellion against the BJP, where he announced his candidacy as an independent for the Borivali seat after the party denied him a ticket. Instead, the BJP has nominated Sanjay Upadhyay as its official candidate for Borivali.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis also commented on the situation, expressing confidence that the party would successfully address the concerns of the rebels. "They (rebels) are also our own people; it is our duty to make them understand. Sometimes there is a lot of anger, but they have formed their mindset in the larger interest of the party. I am confident that we will be successful in making everyone understand," he said.
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Meanwhile, both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—which includes the Shiv Sena (UBT), NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), and Congress—are ramping up preparations for the upcoming elections to the 288 Assembly seats in the state. The BJP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, alongside the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. The upcoming assembly elections will see a family rivalry in the Baramati constituency, where NCP leader Ajit Pawar will face off against his nephew Yugendra Pawar, the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother, Shrinivas Pawar. Baramati was also the site of a high-profile contest in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where Sunetra Pawar ran against Supriya Sule, who won by 1.5 lakh votes.
Maharashtra elections are scheduled for a single phase on November 20, with vote counting taking place on November 23. In the 2019 assembly elections, the BJP secured 105 seats, the Shiv Sena won 56, and the Congress captured 44. In the previous 2014 elections, the BJP won 122 seats, the Shiv Sena 63, and the Congress 42.