Congress will ensure Mahayuti fulfils its poll promises: Patole; says party will probe defeat

Mumbai, Nov 24 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole on Sunday said that the Congress will ensure the newly-elected Mahayuti government fulfils promises it made to the people of the state in its election manifesto and speeches.

Addressing a press conference here, the Congress leader said the Mahayuti, which banked on the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme for its victory in the state election, should immediately fulfil its promise of raising the monthly allowance for women from Rs 1,500 to 2,100.

The Mahayuti recorded a landslide victory, winning 230 out of 288 seats in the state assembly elections. The BJP bagged 132 seats, the Shiv Sena 57, and NCP 41 seats.

The MVA, on the other hand, suffered a drubbing, managing just 46 seats together. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar) won 10 seats, Congress got 16, and Shiv Sena (UBT) 20 seats.

Patole himself won by 208 votes, one of the lowest margins, from the Sakoli assembly constituency in Bhandara district.

The Congress leader said the assembly election results were unexpected for the opposition Maha Vikas Agahdi (MVA) and the people of Maharashtra.

He said, “People are discussing how the Mahayuti could manage such a big win. They are confused. We do not want to comment or talk about EVMs, and it is the need of the hour to find out how it all happened, and accordingly, the Congress take necessary steps.”

He said the All India Congress Committee (AICC) will conduct an inquiry into the outcome of the election and study what went wrong.

Patole said the Mahayuti credited the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin scheme for its win, and it should immediately start disbursing Rs 2,100 as promised to the eligible women beneficiaries.

He asked the Mahayuti government to immediately fulfil its promises of supplying 24-hour electricity to farmers, Rs 6,000 MSP for soyabean, Rs 9,000 for cotton and a Rs 1,000 bonus to paddy cultivators.

“We will ensure that the Mahayuti government fulfils the promises it made to farmers during the elections,” Patole said.

The Congress leader said the party would also ensure the government gives the jobs promised to the youth and makes Maharashtra corruption-free.