Sindhudurg (Maharashtra) [India], May 7 (ANI): Narayan Rane, the BJP candidate from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg Lok Sabha constituency in Maharashtra, expressed confidence in the party's victory on at least 40 seats.

"I am working to bring employment here. In the coming 2 years, we will get engineering and food processing industries here. We will win 40-42 seats in Maharashtra," Rane said while speaking to ANI on Tuesday.

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Voting in Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg is being held today and the BJP candidate cast his vote after offering prayers at a temple in his village in Sindhudurg district.

Rane is pitted against Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and sitting MP Vinayak Raut in the constituency. Rane is currently the Minister of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSME) in the BJP-led Central government.

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In the 2019 general elections, Vinayak Raut from Shiv Sena emerged victorious gathering around 50.8 per cent. Narayan Rane, who fought after forming his own party Maharashtra Swabhimaan Paksh gathered 31 per cent of the votes.

Maharashtra, with its 48 Lok Sabha seats, is the second-largest contributor to the Lower House of Parliament after Uttar Pradesh. Elections to the 48 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra will be held in five phases on April 19, April 26, May 7, May 13, and May 20. The counting will be held on June 4.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 23 out of 25 contested seats, while the undivided Shiv Sena secured 18 out of 23 seats. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)