Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde slammed the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, stating that it would be remembered as an “anti-development government,” reiterating that the voters of Pune would stand with the Mahayuti during the upcoming Maharashtra assembly polls.
Addressing a public rally in Pune on Friday, Shinde accused the MVA of stalling major development projects and prioritising power over public welfare and criticised the MVA for forming an “unnatural alliance” driven by the “greed of power.”
“I have come here after six public rallies throughout the day. Pune is an IT and manufacturing hub. It is the cultural city of the state. I know voters of Pune will stand behind Mahayuti. If you compare the work done by MVA and Mahayuti, they just stalled all projects like Jalyukt Shivar Yojana, Samruddhi Mahamarg, metro projects and others. MVA will be known as an anti-development government… They made an unnatural alliance for the greed of power,” he said.
In contrast, the Maharashtra CM said his government focused on public interest from day one and worked toward the welfare of the people, highlighting the approval of 124 irrigation projects, the launch of the Kisan Samman Yojana, and the Farm Insurance Scheme as key initiatives for farmers.
“We made a government of public interest, and from day one we have been to work for the benefit of the people. We approved 124 irrigation projects. We did many projects for farmers. We started the Kisan Samman Yojana. We started the Farm Insurance Scheme. Whenever farmers came under distress, we helped them. We gave them Rs 45 thousand crore,” he stated.
The Chief Minister also referenced the state government’s support for women, particularly through the Ladki Bahin scheme, which increased financial assistance for women from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,100. Additionally, Shinde outlined his government’s plans to bring “Vision Maharashtra 2029” within the first 100 days of the current administration.
“As promised, we did not stop at 1500 rupees to Ladki Bahin. We decided to increase the amount. It has been now 2100 rupees. We brought schemes for farmers and youth to give them jobs…We have decided to bring Vision Maharashtra 2029 in the first 100 days of the government,” he said.
Shinde further took a direct jab at the MVA, stating that the MVA was an “hafta-taking government” and that his government was one that gave “hafta.”
“MVA government was a hafta-taking government; their minister went to jail. We are the government to give hafta; we give directly to the accounts. We are ‘Dena Bank’; they were ‘Lena Bank’,” he said.
Following his rally, Shinde met with Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) President Prakash Ambedkar.
“Do not see every meeting as political. Prakash Ambedkar is my good friend. He went under angioplasty recently so I came to seek his wellness. He told me that he is good. He will start his election campaign tomorrow. It was a courtesy meeting,” the Maharashtra CM said following his meeting with Prakash Ambedkar.
The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with votes for all 288 constituencies to be counted on November 23.
The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), seeks to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.