Maharashtra elections 2024: MVA, BJP leaders trade potshots over manifestos

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis at the BJP manifesto unveiling. Pic/Atul Kamble

The election manifestos of the MVA and BJP were released in Mumbai on Sunday. At their individual events, leaders from both sides took a dig at the other. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, reacting to a statement made by PM Modi, said it wasn't his party and allies who divided society, but it was the BJP that had already split communities. He also questioned how many people from the SC and ST communities had been given important ministries by the BJP. Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah who spoke at the BJP event targeted the Congress for its ‘divisive' and ‘appeasement' politics. He also challenged Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray to make his MVA partners praise Veer Savarkar and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has promised a strict law against forced and fraudulent conversions after the BJP comes to power in Maharashtra. The legislation is one among 25 promises the party made ahead of the November 20 polls that Shah is confident of winning hands down.

Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders at the release the alliance's election manifesto on Sunday. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Shah, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, state BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule and other senior party leaders released Sankalp Patra 2024 in Mumbai on Sunday, proclaiming a big win for the BJP-Mahayuti. The union minister spoke after the unveiling of the manifesto.

In his address, Shah targeted the Congress for its ‘divisive' and ‘appeasement' politics. He said the BJP's former ally, Uddhav Thackeray was with the party that opposed CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), UCC (uniform civil code), removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, opposed Ram Mandir and amendments to the Waqf Act, and abused Veer Savarkar. The union home minister added that the Congress had accepted the Muslim's demand for a quota though the Constitution did not allow reservations on the basis of religion. He challenged Thackeray to make his MVA partners praise Savarkar and Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray.

Union Ministers Amit Shah and Piyush Goyal, DCM Devendra Fadnavis, and other BJP leaders release the party's manifesto. Pic/Atul Kamble

"CAA has come, and the UCC may also come," he said, adding that the Parliament would definitely pass amendments to the Waqf Act because it has given the Waqf Board to claim the private properties, including Hindu places of worship. "We will also legislate a law to bring the rate of conversions to zero in Maharashtra," he added.

Shah justified PM Narendra Modi's ‘ek hai toh safe hai' pitch, saying that it was important to tell the people how the Congress was dividing the communities to weaken them (through caste census). "People have understood the reservation issue (raised by the opposition in Lok Sabha polls). Those carrying a fake Constitution have become a laughing stock," he added.

According to Shah, neither did he nor the PM accuse the Congress governments in Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana of not fulfilling poll promises. "It was their party's national president (Mallikarjun Kharge) who told them that they should promise things after giving it a proper thought, and that he had to answer because the assurances were not fulfilled," stated ex-BJP president.

When asked about the CM's choice, he said that at present Eknath Khadse was leading the government. "Mahayuti parties will sit together after the elections to decide the CM.

We will not leave anything to be done by Sharad Pawar. I tell you that the Mahayuti is winning with an absolute majority," he added.

Shah criticised Sharad Pawar, asking the ex-union minister to tell the people about his contribution to Maharashtra when he was a minister for ten years in UPA-1 and UPA-2 governments. According to him, Maharashtra received only R2 lakh crore during the UPA regime while the Modi government gave the state R10 lakh crore between 2014 and 2024.

He said the NCP and Shiv Sena split because Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray wanted to promote their children instead of other party leaders.

Food security, pakka houses, student fee-waiver, rebate to farmers and more in BJP's Manifesto 2024

Ladki Bahin Yojana 2,100 monthly financial assistance for women: R25,200 per year
Loan Waiver for farmers: Samman Nidhi increased from R12,000 to R15,000
Food Security and pakka houses for poor families
Increase in old age pension from R1,500 to R2,100
Relief from inflation; price stabilisation for essential items
10 lakh students to get R10,000 monthly stipend, and 25 lakh new job opportunities
45,000 villages to get farm track roads
Anganwadi and ASHA Workers to get R15,000 honorarium and insurance coverage
30 per cent reduction in electricity bills; lighting up homes with solar and renewable energy
Maharashtra will be made $1 trillion economy by 2028
‘Vision Maharashtra 2029' to be presented within 100 days of forming the government
To make Maharashtra the capital of fintech and Al. Nagpur, Pune, and Nashik to be made aero- space hubs.
Rebate to farmers on SGST on purchase of fertilisers farmers to get 16,000 per quintal as minimum price for soybean
By 2027, 50 lakh lakhpati didis will be created industrial cluster to establish industrial cluster for every 500 SHGs with 21,000 crore revolving fund
Free ration for low-income families under Akshay Anna Yojana
"MAHARATHI-ATL Yojana' to be introduced in "MA- HARATHI-ATL Yojana' to be introduced.
Skill census will be conducted to analyse the skill gaps based on industry need
‘Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Akanksha Kendra' will be established in every district of Maharashtra. 10 lakh new entrepreneurs will be created.
15 lakh interest-free loans for SC, ST and OBC entrepreneurs
Reimbursement of tuition and examination fees for OBC, SEBC, EWS, NT, and VJNT category students
Swami Vivekananda Youth Health Card will be launched for annual health check-ups of youth
To preserve and promote this heritage, a Fort Development Authority (FDA) will be established.
‘Senior Citizens First' policy will be adopted implementing Aadhaar Enabled Service Delivery (AESD) to ensure automated services
Strict law will be enacted against forced and fraudulent conversions
Use of modern technologies like artificial intelligence (Al), drones to reduce human-wildlife conflict and prevention of life and property