"The record of Congress is clear--they never gave anything": Ajit Pawar hails Mahayuti's Ladli Behna Yojana

New Delhi: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday highlighted the importance of schemes like the Ladli Behna Yojana, which aims to transfer money directly to women's accounts, while also slamming the Congress, claiming they did nothing when they were in power.
He also underlined other initiatives benefiting citizens of the state, such as the Ujjwala scheme, which has provided free cylinders to 52 lakh beneficiaries in Maharashtra.
The Deputy CM, while discussing the political landscape exclusively with ANI ahead of Maharashtra's upcoming elections, defended the Mahayuti government's record of helping people, stating that Congress had failed to deliver similar promises during its rule.
Speaking about whether the MVA could outplay Mahayuti's Ladli Behna Yojana through the promise of more money, Pawar said, "Congress ruled for so many years and never considered such schemes. They never gave anything. The record of Congress is clear--they never gave anything, not even a rupee. Now they're trying to give it, but we know their track record. In 2003, when Sushil Kumar Shinde was Chief Minister, they promised free electricity before the election. But after the election, Vilasrao Deshmukh took over, and they withdrew the promise. That's how Congress works."
Earlier in the day, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told ANI that he had witnessed the positive impact of the BJP government's "women-centric" policies in the state. "I have toured the whole of Maharashtra, and I see a very positive feeling. Especially because of our women-centric policy, I see a lot of positivity among women voters. Earlier, 75 percent of men and 25 percent of women attended our rallies; now 50 percent of women's participation is seen. I think because of this positivity, we have an edge, and we will form the government with an absolute majority," Fadnavis said.
Meanwhile, Pawar rejected the notion that he was a "kingmaker" or a potential spoiler for Mahayuti in the upcoming elections. "I am very straightforward. I am a part of Mahayuti, our party is involved, and we intend to ensure that Mahayuti wins as many seats as possible," he said. Pawar also focused on the coalition's achievements, including the successful implementation of welfare programs through the Jan Samman Yatra, during which he travelled across Maharashtra alongside Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and former CM Devendra Fadnavis.
Responding to questions about the party's performance in the 2019 general elections, Pawar acknowledged that Mahayuti had faced challenges but emphasized that every state has its political dynamics. "Every state has its political dynamics. The thinking in the North is different from the South," he noted, adding that despite losing by a narrow margin in 2019, Mahayuti was determined to learn from its mistakes and work toward ensuring a successful outcome this time.
In his interview, Pawar also addressed concerns about the impact of migration in Maharashtra, especially in Mumbai. He denied that Bangladeshi migration was significantly affecting the state's voting patterns, despite reports suggesting an increase in migration in certain constituencies. Pawar reaffirmed Mahayuti's stance against divisive politics, adding, "We all opposed that slogan (Yogi Adityanath's 'Batenge toh Katenge'), not just me, but my party as well." He also mentioned that some BJP leaders had opposed it.
The campaigning has intensified for the 288 assembly seats in Maharashtra, with both the ruling Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) making efforts to woo the electorate. The Maharashtra assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, and counting will be held on November 23.