His comment came after Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused the state government of luring women voters with the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana ahead of assembly polls and asserted the initiative will stop in two to three months.
“The scheme to provide Rs 1,500 every month and Rs 18,000 annually to women, plus the three cylinder free is a Raksha Bandhan gift to sisters. The scheme to waive electricity bills of farmers is also permanent. All (monetary) provisions have been made. This is a long-lasting scheme,” Shinde told reporters in Nagpur.
In the budget tabled in the assembly last week, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar announced sops ahead of state polls, which are likely to be held in October-November. Pawar announced Mukhyamantri Annapoorna Yojana (aimed at giving three free cylinders to women), Mukhyamantri Yuva Karyaprashikshan Yojana, Mukhyamantri Krishi Pump Yojana as well as Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana (in which eligible women in the 21-60 age group will get a monthly allowance of Rs 1,500) and a scheme to provide free education to women.
Addressing party workers in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thackeray said, “Many schemes are being launched. This is a ploy to lure women voters before the polls. The schemes are only for two-three months. Their (the ruling alliance) government will not return and even if it returns, the schemes will be wrapped up after that,” he added. “Schemes are being announced but there is a drought when it comes to their implementation. The government is trying to hide its sins with these schemes,” Thackeray alleged.
He also renewed his demand to waive farm loans in line with the government’s announcement of a scheme to write off electricity bills of farmers. Thackeray accused the BJP of driving a wedge between castes in Maharashtra. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader demanded that the Centre increase the cap of 50 per cent reservation by passing a law in Parliament to facilitate quota for Marathas and other communities without hurting the interests of Other Backward Classes. Speaking about the recent Lok Sabha polls, Thackeray said the defeat of his party candidates in Aurangabad, Raigad and Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg hit him hard. He urged his workers to ask voters the reason behind party candidate Chandrakant Khaire’s loss from Aurangabad. Thackeray said Shiv Sena leader Sandipan Bhumre’s win in Aurangabad was achieved by stealing his party’s name and symbol. The former CM acknowledged the ‘burning torch’ symbol of the Shiv Sena (UBT), which it got post the split, could not effectively reach people in the Lok Sabha polls. Hitting back, Shinde said Thackeray should stop “whining” as people voted for the Shiv Sena since the latter had abandoned the ideals of founder Bal Thackeray. “For how long will you whine? People voted for us because he (Thackeray) abandoned the ideals of Balasaheb. We fought 13 seats against them and won seven. Their (Shiv Sena UBT) strike is 42 per cent and ours is 47 per cent,” Shinde said.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) contested 21 Lok Sabha seats in Maharashtra and won nine, while the Shinde-led Sena contested 15 seats and emerged victorious on seven. In direct fights between the two parties on 13 seats, the Shiv Sena won seven. Shinde asserted the Lok Sabha results had showed people voted from his party, adding “the assembly polls will make it more evident whose party is the real Shiv Sena”.
Speaking in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Thackeray had said the assembly polls, likely to be held in October-November, will be fought on Maharashtra’s self-respect. The Shiv Sena split in June 2022 after Shinde rebelled against then CM Thackeray and brought down the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Shinde then formed government with the support of the BJP. His faction was later given the party name and ‘bow and arrow’ symbol.
