Mumbai: Union Home Minister Amit Shah has expressed confidence in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, predicting a resounding victory in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections. The alliance, comprising the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is set to face voters on November 20.
While emphasising the Mahayuti’s commitment to “family-based” politics, Shah revealed that the decision regarding the chief ministerial candidate will be taken after the elections. ” At present, Eknath Shinde is the chief minister. after the elections, all the three alliance partners will decide on the chief minister, ” he stated, hinting at a likely continuation of Shinde’s leadership.
Shah attributed the splits within the Shiv Sena and NCP to Uddhav Thackeray’s decision to prioritise his son Aaditya over Shinde and Sharad Pawar’s preference for his daughter Supriya Sule over Ajit Pawar. He dismissed accusations of the BJP being behind the splits, labelling them baseless.
The Home Minister also dismissed the Congress’ claims of the BJP planning to weaken reservations, highlighting the PM Modi government’s “efforts to strengthen reservations for OBCs”.
Shah further launched a scathing attack on the Leader of the opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, ridiculing his recent alleged gaffe involving a book with blank pages, calling him the “butt of a joke.”
He also criticised the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadhi (MVA) for their attacks on the Mahayuti government’s Ladki Bahin scheme for women, highlighting the MVA’s contradictory approach by offering similar schemes with higher financial backing. “This shows their contradictions. Instead of taking stock of our performance, Rahul Gandhi should check what is happening in the states ruled by his party.”
The BJP’s manifesto, released by Shah, outlined the alliance’s plans for the state. Meanwhile, the Congress released its manifesto, promising five guarantees to the people of Maharashtra, including an annual aid of Rs 3 lakh to every family and Rs 3,000 monthly assistance to women under the Mahalakshmi scheme.
