Maharashtra Congress' salvo to MahaYuti: Talk of your 'rate card', not report card

Mumbai, Oct 16 (IANS) The Maharashtra Congress on Wednesday slammed the MahaYuti for presenting a 'report card' on its performance in the past two-and-half years and said that the ruling alliance should discuss its 'rate card' of corruption. 

In a strong reaction to the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-Nationalist Congress Party regime's unveiling of its self-appraisal list this afternoon, state Congress President Nana Patole dismissed it as nothing but a bundle of false and fabricated claims intended to fool the people before the elections.

"The reality is that Maharashtra has fallen behind other states in terms of development under the MahaYuti government which came to power by hatching conspiracies, dishonesty and unconstitutional methods," said Patole.

He alleged that the state – which always ranked at the top in all respects during the Congress rule – has been totally ruined under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar who are pandering to the interests of a neighbouring state.

Patole accused the trio of plundering this prosperous state at the behest of the BJP leaders and turning it into an 'ATM', while diverting its big projects and resources to Gujarat and other BJP-ruled states.

"When several mega-projects intended for Maharashtra went outside the state, Shinde-Fadnavis-Ajit Pawar kept mum, while Fadnavis even defended the investments going to a neighbouring state. The impact is felt here in the form of a huge surge in unemployment among the youth," Patole told mediapersons.

Referring to the deep distress in farmlands, the Congress chief said that the government has failed to pay the farmers their rightful dues and as per official data, "seven farmers commit suicide daily in Maharashtra", but that has failed to move the insensitive MahaYuti regime.

"With all this, it's laughable that the MahaYuti government talks about the 'report card', when it should be discussing its 'rate card' of corruption," said Patole, in a jibe at the MahaYuti.

On the contrary, the erstwhile Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government which was toppled in June 2022 performed much better, and the manner in which it handled the Covid-19 pandemic crisis earned appreciation not only from the country but also globally, the state economy was good, inflation and unemployment were under control.

"However, the MahaYuti worked for two-and-half years only to create divisions based on caste and religion resulting in social unrest in the state, the law-and-order situation has collapsed to a point where the state is witnessing a 'jungle raj' with serious crimes taking place daily," he said sharply.

He claimed that the self-respecting people of Maharashtra would not allow the treacherous and corrupt alliance which has pushed up the state debt to over Rs 9 lakh-crore, to return to power in the November 20 Assembly elections.