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BIG STORY NOVEMBER 22, 2024 | The Indian Eye 4

MAHARASHTRA & JHARKHAND POLLS

HIGH-STAKES

FIGHT

With the states of Maharashtra and Jharkhand all set to go to polls on November 20,

the top leaders of BJP and Congress lead the high-voltage campaign with serious
allegations against each other. Why is the battle so bitter?

OUR BUREAU

Mumbai/Ranchi
he all-important Maharashtra
assembly elections are sched-
Tuled for November 20 and
counting will be held on November
23. The campaigning has reached a
fever pitch as both the BJP and Con-
gress try to mobilize the people for
their respective alliance.
In the 2019 Maharashtra assem-
bly polls, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv
Sena secured 56, and Congress 44.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the
Congress-led MVA posed a strong
performance winning 30 of 48 seats,
while the BJP-led Mahayuti could
only win 17.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
and Union Home Minister Amit
Shah are attacking the opposition
Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance,
referring to it as a force of destruc-
tion. PM Modi alleged that if the
Maha Vikas Agadhi alliance gains
power in Maharashtra, it will bring
back the era of droughts and the wa-
ter crisis in the poll-bound State.
On Thursday, Prime Minister Prime Minister Narendra Modi being felicitated by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis during a public meeting for
Narendra Modi launched a scathing the Maharashtra Assembly elections in Mumbai on Thursday (ANI)
attack at the Congress and accused
the party of “looting” the poor in the (Congress) one leader is openly de- Stating that Mumbai is a city of is blessing BJP-led Mahayuti. “This
name of poverty elimination. Ad- claring that they will give infiltrators, “self-respect,” Prime Minister Nar- is my last public meeting in Maha-
dressing a public rally at Panvel, PM Rohingyas, and Bangladeshi - gas endra Modi on Thursday ridiculed rashtra for this election. I have vis-
Modi said, “Congress always worked cylinders at cheaper rates. It’s the ex- Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav ited the entire Maharashtra during
on the agenda of keeping the poor, ample of how they are playing with Thackeray for “handing over the this time...The blessings of the entire
poor. Generation by generation, they the future of your children’s future remote control” of his party to the Maharashtra are with Mahayuti,”
have given the false slogan of ‘garee- for the sake of votes,” he added. Congress and dared him to get the PM Modi said.
bi hatao’. Congress looted the poor Hailing Chhatrapati Shivaji Ma- “shehzada of Congress” to praise He said there is a party in the
in the name of poverty elimination.” haraj, the Prime Minister said that Balasaheb Thackeray. Aghadi which has handed over its
“In most of the states, Congress’ the way devotees sit in front of God’s Addressing his last rally for the “remote control” to the Congress
existence is in danger. To protect deity to seek blessings, he sat in front November 20 Maharashtra assembly which insulted Balasaheb. “Mumbai
their existence and to come to pow- of Shivaji Maharaj’s tomb to seek his elections in Shivaji Park in Mumbai, is a city of self-respect, but a party in
er, Congress will do anything. Their blessings for national service. PM Modi said that the entire state Continued on next page... >>

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