Sharad Pawar frowns at ruling leaders' photos on 'Ladki Bahin' scheme posters

Ratnagiri (Chiplun), Sep 23 The Nationalist Congress Party (SP) President Sharad Pawar expressed his displeasure at the publicity-driven ‘Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana’ which sports photos of top ruling MahaYuti leaders on its publicity posters or banners, here on Monday.

The veteran Maratha leader said that he served in the Maharashtra government for 24 years, including as cabinet minister for nearly 16 years and nine years as the Chief Minister, and also at the Centre in different capacities in his public career of over 55 years.

“As per my understanding, whenever the government launches any scheme in this state or any other state, the funds for it come from the government’s coffers, they don’t go from my own resources. That’s why we never put our photos or pretend as if we were financing it from our pockets,” said Pawar sharply.

However, he said that the people will give their verdict on what they think of all this -- the photos of CM Eknath Shinde, Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar -- after the (upcoming) Maharashtra Assembly elections.

“Presently, the mindset of the masses is to support us. That’s why we are taking the people’s agenda to the masses. All other parties also have a right to do so, but we feel that the public will endorse our agenda,” declared Pawar.

Referring to the alleged tussle over the seat-sharing process in the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of Congress-Nationalist Congress Party (SP)-Shiv Sena (UBT), Pawar said it is proceeding smoothly and in a structured manner.

“Any party or their workers have the right to think that they will become the largest group in the state to claim the CM’s post. We have set up a committee of the three alliance partners to discuss the entire issue. The final decision on who will contest which seat (of the 288 total constituencies) is likely by next Monday-Tuesday,” Pawar revealed.

On the likelihood of the NCP (SP)’s probable constituencies coming to its fold in the coastal Konkan region, Pawar smiled and said that “Whatever seats are left for us by the other parties, we shall happily contest all of them”.

About the contentious issue of who will be projected as the ‘CM-face’ in the upcoming elections with an open tug-of-war between the Congress-SS (UBT), the NCP (SP) supremo cited the example of the Janata Party government in 1977.

Pawar recalled that when the Janata Party alliance was formed, nobody thought that Morarji Desai would become the Prime Minister after the national elections.

“Today, we want to give the people confidence that we can offer them an alternative that can work for their welfare… The CM can be decided after the elections,” said Pawar, hoping to put the curtains down on the CM-face ruckus.

Source: IANS