We will stake claim to three seats in Gondia and Bhandara NCP SP leader Anil Deshmukh

Gondia, Aug 26 (PTI) NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday said the Sharad Pawar-led party will stake claim to Tirora, Arjuni Morgaon assembly seats in Gondia and Tumsar in Bhandara.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi, of which NCP (SP) is a part along with the Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT), will fight the upcoming assembly elections together and unseat the Eknath Shinde government, he asserted.
"We will claim these three seats as we have sitting MLAs there," said the former state home minister, who was here to take part in a meeting of NCP (SP) workers.
He also claimed Bhagyashree Atram, daughter of state minister Dharamrao Atram, had met Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil and was desirous of contesting against her father from Aheri.
Deshmukh refused to give a direct answer when asked if he would contest against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South West, only saying he would fight from whichever seat his party tells him to.
Deshmukh slammed the Shinde government for rise in crimes against women and alleged law and order had collapsed in the state.
He said the Ladki Bahin Yojana was an election gimmick, but added the scheme would not be closed if the MVA comes to power.
The financial aid for women under the scheme will be raised from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3000 if the MVA comes to power, he added.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)