Devendra Fadnavis vows to end drought in state

Rajnath Singh, Devendra Fadnavis and state BJP chief Chandrakant Patil pay tribute to late Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj, a social reformer

'I will ensure that the next generation does not face a drought-like situation,' declared Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as he began his pan-Maharashtra tour, ahead of the Assembly polls, from the backward region of Vidarbha on Thursday.

The tour, named 'Maha Janadesh Yatra', was flagged off by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. The BJP chose to launch the tour at Gurukunj (Mojhari) in Amravati district, from where late Rashtrasant Tukdoji Maharaj, a social reformer, issued a clarion call to ensure rural development for the country's overall progress.

Tukdoji's epic book 'Gramgeeta' is considered a textbook for rural development, which requires a collaboration of government and villagers-farmers for national progress. He also strongly advocated the need for equal treatment of all religions (secularism) and was hailed by late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for his pro-active role.

Speaking at the yatra, Fadnavis said his government was working to mitigate the drought situation in the state. "Vidarbha is facing drought. Marathwada and parts of Western and North Maharashtra are also in a similar state. We have taken up a programme to interlink rivers to meet our growing need of water for drinking and farming," he said.

Projected as BJP's chief ministerial candidate, Fadnavis appealed to the people to vote for the BJP again. He also invited the Opposition to debate his performance over the past five years and their achievement between 1999 and 2014.

The CM said if his and the previous governments were to be compared, in five years he achieved the double of what the Congress and NCP were together able to deliver in 15 years. "Come and debate with me at an open platform," he challenged the detractors, who have accused him of making unreasonable claims of achievements for the public good.

Fadnavis added that he would never claim he has solved all the issues affecting the people of Maharashtra in his tenure. However, I would definitely assert that my government's performance has been exceedingly superior to the previous regimes, he said. "In five years, the state has regained the number one position in several sectors," the CM added.

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