The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) significant win in the Haryana assembly elections highlights its commitment to development, which will similarly help the ruling Mahayuti coalition achieve a strong majority in the upcoming Maharashtra polls, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday.
In an interview with PTI, Shinde claimed that opposition parties, including the Congress and their INDIA bloc partners, relied on false narratives, caste-based politics, and hollow promises to attract voters during the recent Lok Sabha elections. However, those tactics have failed, he asserted.
Shinde contrasted the Congress’s decades in power with the achievements of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership over the past ten years. "The truth is clear when you compare the Congress's 50-60 years of work to what PM Modi has accomplished in just 10 years," said Shinde. His Shiv Sena faction is part of the Mahayuti coalition, along with the BJP and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Shinde praised the BJP’s third consecutive electoral victory in Haryana, crediting the "double-engine" government for driving development. He expressed confidence that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, which he said is equally focused on progress, will see similar success in the November state elections.
Shinde also criticized the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for halting key infrastructure projects such as the Atal Setu, Samruddhi Highway, and Metro 3. Since taking office, Shinde’s government has removed obstacles to these projects, he noted.
Reflecting on the fall of the MVA government in 2022, Shinde emphasized that the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (SP) made promises they couldn’t keep. “The Congress traps and deceives the people with fake narratives. That’s why they lost in Haryana,” Shinde claimed, adding that development-focused efforts by the BJP, NDA, RSS, and their party workers are what voters truly support.
Shinde pointed out that even MVA leaders have started criticizing the Congress's arrogance. He also took aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of disrespecting the Prime Minister and damaging India’s image on international platforms.
The chief minister highlighted various welfare programs introduced by his government, including the ‘Ladki Bahin’ scheme, ‘Yuva Karya Prashikshan Yojana,’ and Kisan Bijli Bill Mafi Yojana, emphasizing their positive impact on citizens. Shinde expressed confidence that Maharashtra voters, like those in Haryana, will choose development over divisive tactics, predicting a landslide victory for the Mahayuti coalition.