MahaYuti to seek mandate on development plank, expose MVA's anti-growth vision

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) MahaYuti comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP on Wednesday sounded the bugle for the Assembly elections saying that it will approach the voters on the development plank and expose the anti-growth vision of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) consisting of Congress, Shiv Sena UBT and NCP(SP).

At a joint press conference addressed by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar, a report card of the MahaYuti government was released.

They slammed the erstwhile Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government terming it "sthagiti sarkar (government stalling the projects and putting speed breakers)" against the MahaYuti’s "Gati-pragati sarkar (government expediting progress)". The report card was meant to be a befitting reply to Maha Vikas Aghadi's "traitor’s report".

CM Shinde, Fadnavis and Pawar said they will approach the voters seeking blessings and mandates based on their development report card reiterating that the slew of welfare and development schemes launched will remain in place in future also as they are implemented with full financial support. They also declared that the MahaYuti will strongly counter the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s negative narrative by urging the voters to vote for development.

The CM said the MahaYuti government is the first to release its own report card and hoped that the voters will elect MahaYuti with a huge mandate. He lashed out at the Shiv Sena(UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray for his statement that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government will scrap all schemes launched by MahaYuti.

CM Shinde warned that if they (Maha Vikas Aghadi) try to do that, it will receive backlash from the beloved sisters (Ladki Bahin). Fadnavis dared NCP(SP) chief Sharad Pawar to declare Maha Vikas Aghadi's Chief Ministerial face saying that MahaYuti is contesting the Assembly election under the leadership of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. "The Maha Vikas Aghadi should identify and declare the name of leader of opposition,'' taunted CM Shinde.

Dy CM and NCP national president Ajit Pawar claimed that the opposition is disturbed due to the success of various schemes implemented by the MahaYuti government. "The opposition has every right to level allegations but it seems they are unable to digest the overwhelming response the MahaYuti government received from varied sections after the implementation of schemes meant for them. The MahaYuti government has already deposited Rs 7,500 since July (Rs 1,500 each for a month) to nearly 2.50 crore eligible women beneficiaries under the Ladki Bahin scheme. It has brought a transformative change in their lives. The scheme will not be implemented merely till the election but it will be continued in future too,’" said Ajit Pawar.

He said that the government has allocated Rs 45,000 crore for the Ladki Bahin scheme, adding that the monthly financial aid will be increased in due course of time as proposed by the Chief Minister. "Elections will come and go. It happens every five years. But the financial aid already deposited is fixed, no one will take them away," he reiterated.

Pawar said that the government has provided a free power supply to farmers adding that it will continue in future also. "In the past, the Sushilkumar Shinde-led Congress government had announced free power to farmers in the run-up to the 2004 Assembly election but it was scrapped after the new government was formed," he recalled.

Deputy CM Fadnavis criticised the Maha Vikas Aghadi government for stalling various projects while the MahaYuti government not only took up those projects for completion but successfully launched transformational schemes. "The opposition has no moral right to target the MahaYuti government on law and order situation saying that the Maha Vikas Aghadi government’s home minister was jailed and the CBI inquiry is currently underway for cash for transfer in the police department. Besides, during its rule, a bomb was placed before the residence of a leading industrialist," he said, adding, "The MahaYuti government has taken necessary steps to maintain law and order and it will see that the women will be protected and those indulging crime against them will be dealt with firmly."

Fadnavis said that the MahaYuti government gave revised administrative approval to 145 irrigation projects that will irrigate more than 22 lakh hectares of land. Besides, the government took up interlinking of rivers to make Marathwada drought-free. "Maharashtra is the only state to create an independent company to provide electricity to farmers free of cost. The work is going on so that the farmers of Maharashtra will get electricity for 365 days during the daytime. Electricity is available at Rs 3 per unit against Rs 8 per unit. Projects are being developed to install 14,000 mw of solar projects of which 1,500 mw are completed. These projects will be commissioned in the next 15 to 18 months," he added.

"During Maha Vikas Aghadi government, other states outpaced Maharashtra in attracting investments. However, Maharashtra has regained the number one position during the MahaYuti government with 57 per cent of investment. Maharashtra is number one and will remain number one in future also," he added.

Fadnavis slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi for criticising the MahaYuti government for the flight of various industries to Gujarat saying that the "Opposition is now Gujarat’s ambassador". He reiterated that Maharashtra has outsmarted Gujarat and other states in attracting investments.