Maharashtra Elections 2024 Live: Gautam Adani, the surprising focal point of Maharashtra’s election drama; Congress, BJP clash over governance issues

BJP does not have anything to say to people regarding what they did for Maharashtra. What did they do when projects worth Rs 2 lakh crore were shifted from Maharashtra to Gujarat,” says AAP MP Sanjay Singh 

Source: PTI (X)

Stepping up his attacks on the Congress party and its leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari on Friday said that the Congress is desperate in Maharashtra and Jharkhand because no one wants to listen to Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge.

Bhandari questioned the motive of the Congress party behind “supporting” infiltrators, even as if the “Supreme Court has said in its ruling that supporting infiltrators is equal to external aggression.”

Speaking to ANI, Bhandari said, “The Congress party should answer why it is trying to destroy the Constitution of India. Why is the Congress party talking about giving Muslim reservations? The Congress party should answer why it is talking about giving cylinders to infiltrators. The Supreme Court has said in its ruling that supporting infiltrators is equal to external aggression. What is the Congress party trying to do today? The Congress party wants to change the demography of this country.”

Bhandari stated that such moves by Congress show that the NDA government is going to be formed in both Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

“I want to tell the Congress party that today you are going to the same Election Commission which you curse after every election and raise questions on the democratic system.”

ANI

For 57 long years, the Pawar family has reigned supreme over the Baramati assembly constituency in Pune district, an unyielding fortress that has withstood every political storm. From 1967 to 1990, Sharad Pawar himself held the seat with an iron grip. And when he moved to national politics, his nephew, Ajit Pawar, took up the mantle in 1995, remaining undefeated and unchallenged through decades of shifting political sands

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As campaigning has intensified in Maharashtra, Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar slammed the ruling government Mahayuti, saying that the present government in the state has worsened the situation for farmers and several farmers have committed suicide.

Addressing a public rally, Sharad Pawar said, “In Maharashtra, NCP-SCP, Congress and Shivsena (UBT) decided to go in the election together... Earlier, during the last Lok Sabha elections in 2019, Congress had only one seat and we had three, but this time we got 30 seats because we fought together...The present government has worsened the situation for farmers in Maharashtra...during the last six months, several farmers committed suicide...”

Input from ANI

X/@ShivSenaUBT_

“Who stole the Government?” Gandhi asked the crowd. “Was Modi’s hand not behind it? Even BJP leaders have admitted this. Adani was part of the meeting where the plot was hatched. Why was Adaniji attending a political meeting? Because he wants Dharavi. This Government (Eknath Shinde and BJP) has gifted him benefits worth Rs 1 lakh crore.”

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Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi are gearing up to address public meetings in Vidarbha as part of the party’s campaign for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20. This will be Priyanka Gandhi’s first visit to Vidarbha for the current election cycle, while Rahul Gandhi has already conducted meetings in the region recently.

“The people of Maharashtra do not trust the PM’s statements. Our MVA (Maha Vikas Aghadi) alliance is united, and Maharashtra is safer with us. Let the public decide whose remote control is in whose hands. As for the faction he created by breaking Shiv Sena, its remote control is certainly with him,” says Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut at a press conference in Mumbai.

Earlier, in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Marathwada, Modi alleged that Congress had praised Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and echoed Pakistan’s rhetoric, accusing them of seeking to reintroduce Article 370. He pointed to Maharashtra’s success in attracting the highest FDI this year due to the State’s pro-development policies and assured farmers of better prices for their crops.

In Panvel, Modi reiterated that Congress aimed to create divisions among SCs, STs, OBCs, and Adivasis and jeopardise their reservation rights, rallying the crowd with the slogan, “ Eak hai toh safe hai” (Unity is Safety). He also accused Congress of disrespecting the Constitution and its architect, Babasaheb Ambedkar, by failing to implement it in Jammu and Kashmir.

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In Dharashiv district, where the golden glint of soya crops belie the toil and misery of those who cultivate them, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s “Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin” ( CM’s beloved sister) scheme is more a mirage than an oasis. The promise of ₹1,500 per month—pitched as a lifeline to millions of women—has failed to dazzle Aparna Gangawane, Mangal More, Suhasini Pawar, and a chorus of others who see through its thin veneer. They say our “brother” could have done more, eyes hardened by years of backbreaking labour and failed expectations.

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At a time when everyone is talking about using AI for driving efficiencies, Maharashtra’s political parties have lost the enthusiasm to use generative AI for their election campaigning. According to Opposition parties like the Nationalist Congress Party - Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP SP) and the Indian National Congress, social media interaction reaps much better results than AI-content. Still, the Congress said that AI helps in speeding up other modes of campaigning.

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(Friday, November 15, 2024)

Time: Mon. 12:45 PM, Public Meeting, Karad, Satara

Time: Mon. 2 o’clock, public meeting, Shirala, Sangli

Time: Evening. 6:30 PM, Public Meeting, Khadakwasla, Pune

Time: Evening. 7:45 PM, Public Meeting, Kasba Peth, Pune

Pime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Congress is far ahead in vote-bank politics, but when it comes to poverty eradication the party has given only empty slogans and looted the impoverished people.

He also raised the issue of illegal immigration and said a Congress leader in Jharkhand, which is facing assembly polls along with Maharashtra, has promised to provide cheap gas cylinders to infiltrators like Rohingyas and Bangladeshis.

Stepping up attack on the Congress with less than a week left for polling in the state, the BJP’s star campaigner noted the party gave the ‘Garibi Hatao’ (eradicate poverty) slogan, but instead looted the poor.

“If the poor are benefiting, you feel happy, but the Congress doesn’t feel happy over this,” Modi said, addressing a well-attended rally at Kharghar in Panvel taluka of Raigad district for the November 20 assembly elections.

“The Congress is far ahead when it comes to vote-bank politics, but is the enemy of the poor,” Modi said.

The Grand Old Party has always worked with the agenda of keeping the poor in poverty, the PM remarked.

“Generation after generation these people kept giving the false slogan of eradicating poverty. In the name of eradicating poverty, the Congress looted the poor,” he said.

Even after 70 years of Independence, most of the people in the country were struggling to get food, clothing and shelter, but the situation changed for the first time in the last 10 years, he added.

Modi said his government, since 2014, has brought 25 crore people out of poverty.

The BJP stalwart said a Congress leader has promised to provide subsidised cooking gas cylinder even to infiltrators if the INDIA bloc comes to power in Jharkhand.

“Today, a Congress leader has said in Jharkhand that we will give cheap gas cylinders to Hindus and Muslims as well as infiltrators like Rohingyas and Bangladeshis. Should such people who praise the infiltrators get any opportunity anywhere?” he asked.

Modi asked the crowd at the rally to say ‘Ek hai toh safe hai’ (we are safe if we are united) so that those seeking to divide society lose their sleep.

Modi also spoke of his love for Maharashtra, the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

“When the BJP chose me as the PM candidate in 2013, I went to Raigad Fort and sought the blessings of Shivaji Maharaj to work for the country. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj gave us the oath of swaraj (self-rule). We have to carry forward the resolution of suraj (good governance) along with swaraj to build a developed India,” he said.

Modi emphasised the ruling Mahayuti alliance’s commitment to policies that uplift and empower all communities, particularly marginalized and economically disadvantaged sections of Maharashtra.

He said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are taking initiatives that are strengthening the “soshit” (oppressed) and “vanchit” (deprived), who were neglected by the Congress.

Highlighting major social welfare schemes that have reached over 80 crore citizens across India, Modi emphasized his government’s provision of free monthly rations to economically disadvantaged families.

“In Raigad alone, 18 lakh people have benefited from free ration distribution,” he stated.

On the economic front, Modi outlined Mahayuti’s development plans, stating that Maharashtra is on the brink of an infrastructural revolution.

Key projects like the Atal Setu sea bridge, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, the Vadhavan Port and the Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway are transforming the state into a hub of growth, he explained.

Modi said that with Rs 30,000 crore invested in a Data Centre Park in Raigad, Maharashtra is poised to become a leading tech hub in Asia.

He assured coastal communities of continued government support, specifically for the fishing industry.

A Rs 1,000-crore assistance package is set to modernize navigation, provide better boats, and support blue economy initiatives, he said in the coastal district.

He highlighted schemes like the PM Awas Yojana, where homes are registered in women’s names, and the Lakhpati Didi programme, which has helped numerous women become financially independent.

“The Congress mocks these programmes, but they transform the lives of millions of women,” he said.

Modi emphasized that the upcoming elections are about securing Maharashtra’s long-term future, not just electing members of the legislative assembly.

The PM warned the audience of the Congress’s attempts to sow division among different communities and castes.

“The Congress is trying to split and exploit Dalits, tribals, Other Backward Classes (OBC) and other communities for power,” Modi asserted.

He alleged the Congress was reluctant to support the progress of SCs/STs/OBCs because it wants to keep them deprived for political advantage.

Assembly poll results will be declared on November 23.

PTI report

Home Minister Amit Shah to hold Jan Sabhas in Maharashtra on Friday, Nov 15

Ramleela maidan, Hingoli at 1:15

Zilla Parishad girls high school ground, Umarkhed, Yavatmal at 2:15

Chanda Club ground, Chandrapur, at 3:45

The Election Commission has resolved 6,381 complaints related to Model Code of Conduct violations in Maharashtra over the past month, with only one case pending resolution, according to the Maharashtra Chief Electoral Officer

In the final stretch of his election campaign in Maharashtra, Prime Minister Narendra Modi adopted a three-pronged approach. He showcased the development initiatives led by both the State and Central governments, launched sharp critiques at the Congress for allegedly pushing a divisive caste census agenda, and warned voters about Congress’ purportedly pro-Muslim policies. Modi’s strategy was aimed at consolidating support and drawing clear contrasts as the election day approached.

Read businessline’s report: Modi’s three-pronged strategy in Maharashtra

On being asked who will be the CM if Mahayuti comes to power, Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says “There is no plan, no date. We are sure, we will form our Government. As soon as the results come, all three parties will sit together and decide who will be made the CM...I am not in this process. I am a regional leader in my party, all this is the game of national presidents...” - ANI (X)

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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut says, “The people of Maharashtra do not trust the Prime Minister’s statement. This is Maha Vikas Aghadi. We three are together. We are one and we are safer in Maharashtra than you. And the second thing is that the people will decide whose remote control is in whose hands...I have said earlier also that after November 23, there will be no Mahayuti because there will be no CM. They will not make Eknath Shinde the CM or LoP. They will not get the majority. We are forming the government...” - ANI

Key contenders in the fray in Maharashtra: Within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, BJP is fighting for 149 seats, sitting CM Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena is contesting 81 seats while Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar-led NCP is fighting from 59 seats. In the main opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance the Congress has 101 candidates in the fray while Shiv Sena (UBT) led by Uddhav Thackeray has 95 candidates, and Sharad Pawar’s NCP is fielding 86 candidates. The smaller parties in the fray are Bahujan Samaj Party with 237 candidates and AIMIM has 17 candidates. Raj Thackeray’s MNS has fielded 110 candidates

A significant political controversy has erupted following Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s recent statement that industrialist ​​Gautam Adani​​ participated in a 2019 meeting between leaders of the NCP and BJP to discuss the possibility of forming a government.

Pawar later clarified that his remarks were misconstrued. Veteran NCP leader Sharad Pawar acknowledged meeting Adani and Union Home Minister Amit Shah but denied that such discussions took place.

“If such a thing had happened, you would have seen a BJP-NCP government being formed,” Sharad Pawar told the media.

Read businessline’s report: ​​ Parties vie for winning narrative as voting nears​​

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi alleged that the people in Maharashtra were “deprived” of their government and claimed that the current government “handed over” Dharavi to Adani.

Addressing a public rally in Maharashtra’s Nanded on Thursday, Rahul Gandhi said, “In Maharashtra, the people were deprived of their government. Adani was present in the meeting held to topple the government. After all, why was Adani sitting in that political meeting? They were sitting there because they wanted Dharavi. Then this government handed over Dharavi to Adani.”

“There is unemployment in the state, the prices are going up, Adani, Ambani are not getting hurt by all this, their wealth is increasing. They got airports, ports, roads, and now they are getting Dharavi. The loss is yours (locals), the loss is of soyabean farmers, of workers, of unemployed youth,” he added.

ANI report

The Election Commission has received 6,382 complaints related to model code violations in Maharashtra in the past month and has resolved all but one, while agencies under it have seized cash and goods worth more than Rs 536 crore.

These complaints were filed through the cVIGIL app of the poll panel between October 15, when the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) came into force with the announcement of the election schedule, and November 14, said a statement issued by the office of state Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) on Thursday.

cVIGIL is a mobile application developed by the EC to enable citizens to report violations of the MCC during elections.

Of the total complaints received in the past month, 6,381 have been resolved by the EC, said the statement.

Once a complaint is filed, the relevant team investigates and takes appropriate action, it said.

In an enforcement crackdown since October 15, various state and central agencies have seized assets worth Rs 536.45 crore, which include illegal cash, liquor, narcotics, and precious metals, said the statement.

Seizures were made to stop any inducement of voters in Maharashtra, where polling will take place on November 20.

The MCC is a set of guidelines drafted by the EC that outlines how political parties and candidates must conduct themselves during election campaigning and polling.

PTI report

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said there was no set formula for selecting the next chief minister of the ruling Mahayuti alliance and a decision in this regard will be taken once assembly poll results were declared.

In an interaction with a group of reporters in Mumbai, the senior BJP leader clarified there was no such formula of having a chief minister from the party winning the maximum number of seats or that with a better strike rate in the November 20 polls to elect a new 288-member assembly.

The BJP, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP headed by deputy CM Ajit Pawar are constituents of the ruling alliance.

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday exuded confidence that his candidates will win both the seats in Aurangabad Central and East and they will demand Maratha reservation in the Assembly, said ANI.

Speaking to ANI, Owaisi said that as per their strategy, they are contesting on 16 seats.

“Our candidates will win both the seats in Aurangabad. Drinking water is the biggest issue for the people here. Poor people do not have houses, there is problem of roads and drainage. There is also Maratha reservation. If both of them win, they will go to Maharashtra Assembly and demand Maratha reservation,” Owaisi said.

Maharashtra BJP MLA Nitesh Rane has said he will ensure “vote jihad” does not happen in the upcoming state assembly polls and maintained he was not afraid of the multiple FIRs pertaining to hate speeches registered against him.

In an interview to PTI, Rane, who is the BJP’s nominee from Kankavli seat in Sindhudurg district, asserted he has “not done anything wrong” by taking the side of his “dharma” or community.

“I am going to be mentioned as a Hindu on my birth and death certificate. If I am being blamed for a hate crime just because I am trying to take the side of my own dharma or my community, religion, I don’t think there is anything wrong in it. I have absolutely not done anything wrong,” he said.

Bharatiya Janata Party and Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) workers were involved in a tussle in Nashik on Thursday in connection with the November 20 Maharashtra polls and both groups approached police, though officials said no formal complaint had been received, according to PTI.

The argument started at around 12:30pm in Panchvati area here after BJP candidate Rahul Dhikle’s supporters apprehended a person and claimed he was distributing money on behalf of NCP (SP).

However, Gokul Gite, brother of NCP (SP) candidate Ganesh Gite, refuted allegations that the apprehended man belonged to their party, leading to verbal clashes and sloganeering between the two groups.

NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Thursday claimed that Maharashtra has fallen into the wrong hands in the past few years and has suffered a decline.

He was in the Chinchwad assembly constituency in Pune district to canvass for his party candidate Rahul Kalate, who faces off against BJP’s Shankar Jagtap in the November 20 Maharashtra polls.

Pawar took part in a roadshow and addressed a public gathering in support of Kalate.

“Maharashtra was once ranked number one in the country but it has fallen into the wrong hands in recent times leading to the state’s downfall,” he said.

The NCP (SP) president said the Chinchwad constituency lacks even basic infrastructure. The Pimpri-Chinchwad area near Pune is an auto hub.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi feels the “red book” of the Constitution is blank as he has never read it, reported PTI.

Addressing a rally in Maharashtra’s Nandurbar, Gandhi said the Constitution contains the soul of India and the principles envisaged by national icons like Birsa Munda, Dr B R Ambedkar and Mahatma Gandhi.

“The BJP has objections to the red colour of the book (which Gandhi has been displaying in rallies). But we don’t care about whether the colour is red or blue. We are committed to preserve it (Constitution) and ready to lay down our lives too for it. Modi ji feels the Constitution (book) I carry is blank because he has no idea what it contains. He has not read it in his life,” Gandhi said.

Senior BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jairam Thakur on Thursday said people of Maharashtra must realise that the Congress has failed to fulfil poll promises made in the northern state.

The Congress listed 10 “guarantees” in the manifesto for the HP assembly polls, including Rs 1500 per month to women, but none of these have turned into reality, Thakur told reporters here.

He also showed video clips of Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi and HP CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to buttress his point.

In polls held in December 2022, the Congress unseated the BJP in HP by winning 40 of the 68 seats there.

The Congress has appropriated the benefits of Maharashtra’s citizens but its hunger to snatch remains, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said on Thursday.

He was addressing a poll rally for the BJP-led Mahayuti in Amravati’s Melghat, which for several decades has hit the national headlines for widespread acute malnutrition among its residents, especially children.

Yadav also said the Congress was unhappy when the grand Ram Temple was built in Ayodhya and its idol consecrated in January this year.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said his party’s ‘batenge to katenge’ slogan is a counter-narrative to the MVA’s campaign and claimed his colleagues Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde as well as Deputy CM Ajit Pawar had failed to grasp its “core” meaning, PTI reported.

The slogan, frequently used by Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath on the campaign trail for the November 20 Maharashtra polls, has united the opposition in its condemnation, which claims it has communal overtones, while even some ruling alliance leaders have frowned on it.

‘Batenge to katenge’ (disunity will lead to destruction) is a counter-narrative to the Congress-led Maha Vikas Aghadi’s divisive campaign, and the core message of the slogan is that “everyone has to stick together”, Fadnavis said during an interaction here with select members of the media.

The Congress attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday by posing questions to him on Mumbai, asking why is the metropolis “made to lose” big-ticket projects to Gujarat and why is the BJP “sponsoring Adani’s Dharavi land grab,” PTI reported.

Ahead of Modi’s poll engagement in Mumbai, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh posed five questions which he said the people are asking the PM.

He asked whether the BJP is scared of losing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.

Rahul Gandhi criticised Modi for not understanding the Constitution, claiming he sees it as “blank” because he hasn’t read it, according to PTI.

Gandhi defended his use of a red-covered Constitution at rallies and accused the BJP of misrepresenting tribals. 

He also criticized the BJP for moving key projects out of Maharashtra, resulting in job losses, and pledged that a Congress-led government would keep projects in the state and provide debt relief to farmers.

Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar criticised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for his recent comment about countering “vote jihad” with “vote dharmyudh,” PTI reported.

Kumar sarcastically questioned whether common people would fight this “dharmyudh” while political leaders’ children study abroad and leaders’ wives make Instagram reels.

He emphasised that if “dharma” needs protection, it should be a collective effort. 

Kumar also attacked Fadnavis for his role in splitting the Shiv Sena and his alliance with the NCP, accusing Fadnavis of hypocrisy for inducting a faction of the NCP into the ruling alliance despite calling them corrupt. This criticism comes as Fadnavis faces a challenge from Congress’ Prafulla Gudhade Patil in the Nagpur South West constituency.

Ticket fares for private buses in Maharashtra have nearly doubled ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, as thousands of voters plan to travel to their native places to cast their ballots, reported PTI.

Routes connecting Mumbai to western Maharashtra, Konkan, Marathwada, and northern Maharashtra have seen a sharp fare increase for November 19 and 20. 

Travel agents report that prices, which had dropped after Diwali, have surged, with buses expected to transport voters to areas like Kolhapur, Nashik, and Latur. Many of these buses are arranged by political parties, while others are booked by voters independently. 

Additionally, some candidates provide ticket money for voters to book their own travel.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis criticized Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for waving a red-covered copy of the Constitution at rallies, calling it a concept borrowed from Latin American campaigns involving “anarchist forces,” PTI reported.

Fadnavis pointed out the controversy after it was revealed that the inside pages of the Constitution copy Gandhi waved were blank. 

He condemned this as an insult to the Constitution, accusing the Congress of disrespecting it by circulating blank books. Fadnavis also mocked the Congress for pretending to protect the Constitution while insulting Dr. Ambedkar by flaunting these blank copies.

Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole criticized Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his recent comments about Article 370, stating that if former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi were alive today, the BJP would be politically insignificant, reported PTI.

Patole questioned the outcomes of scrapping Article 370, pointing out that while elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir after a decade, terrorism persists, and soldiers continue to be martyred. 

He urged Shah to address the unfulfilled promises made by the BJP in the 2014 and 2019 elections. Patole also claimed that the BJP is intimidated by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, who remains a vocal critic of the party.

Onion prices have soared in parts of India, reaching ₹100 per kg, with the lack of government control on retail outlets being blamed for the high prices. 

Retailers take advantage of the situation since the government only regulates wholesale prices, and there are issues with market transparency, storage, and agents controlling the supply. 

While wholesale prices in APMC yards are lower, retail prices remain inflated due to added volatility premiums and information gaps. The arrival of kharif onions, delayed by rains, has further pushed up prices, but a sharp drop in prices is expected in two weeks as kharif arrivals increase. 

Despite government efforts to sell onions at ₹35/kg through cooperatives, the availability and quality of these onions have been inconsistent, particularly in places like NCR. 

The market is also impacted by the lack of storage facilities in cities and price manipulation by retailers during reports of crop damage.

Read more here.

In Dharashiv district, women like Aparna Gangawane, Mangal More, and Suhasini Pawar see through the promises of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s “Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin” scheme, which offers ₹1,500 per month to women from low-income families. 

Despite the scheme’s broad reach, these women, who have developed skills in entrepreneurship through local training, feel it falls short. 

They want access to bigger markets and financial stability rather than cash handouts.

While the scheme has benefited millions, including some from affluent families, the women view it as a political tactic rather than a genuine effort at empowerment. 

They believe true empowerment lies in financial independence and support for their businesses, not in reliance on government aid.

Read more here.

Maharashtra’s political parties, including Congress and NCP, are hesitant to fully embrace generative AI for election campaigning, favoring social media interactions instead. Congress, despite using AI in past campaigns, found AI-generated content ineffective and has shifted focus to AI-driven sentiment analysis and more interactive IVR systems. 

Similarly, Shivam Singh from SIGNAL Institute highlighted that while AI is useful for sentiment analytics, its impact on election results remains limited. Both parties agree that traditional campaigning methods still yield better voter engagement than AI-generated content.

Read more here.

In the midst of Maharashtra’s election frenzy, Megha Kulkarni, a soybean farmer from Dharashiv, stands in despair, clutching her under-priced harvest. 

The local market price of soybeans has dropped to ₹4,150 per quintal, well below the MSP of ₹4,892, dimming her hopes of a fair return. 

Megha’s life is haunted by the memory of her husband, who took his life under similar financial strain in 2017, and she fears the same fate may await her. Despite political promises of relief, the reality for farmers remains grim: this year alone, nearly 2,000 farmers in the state have died by suicide, as droughts, debts, and failing support from the government deepen the crisis. 

Activists criticise the government’s focus on consumer needs while ignoring the struggles of farmers bound by restrictive laws. 

For Megha and many others, election pledges are mere rhetoric, with no real change in sight.

Reeling from a heavy Lok Sabha defeat, Maharashtra’s BJP-led alliance unveiled a massive ₹6,12,293-crore Budget, with Finance Minister Ajit Pawar pledging ambitious welfare schemes, including three free LPG cylinders annually for BPL families, free electricity for farmers, and ₹1,500 per month for women under the CM Ladki Bahin Yojana. 

The scheme, now central to the BJP’s election campaign, would cost ₹46,000 crore annually, despite fiscal concerns. 

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde raised the stakes, promising ₹2,100 per month for women if the alliance wins, while the Congress-led opposition countered with an even bigger offer of ₹3,000 under its proposed Mahalaxmi Yojana. 

This “competitive populism” has sparked a spending race, despite a projected ₹20,151-crore revenue deficit and rising fiscal deficit, which nearly doubled from 1.9% of GDP in FY23 to 2.8% in FY24. 

With debt stock hitting ₹7,11,278 crore, the CAG urged Maharashtra to manage debt prudently, recommending rationalized expenditure, expanded revenue sources, and investment in revenue-generating assets to maintain fiscal stability.

Read more here.

In the lead-up to Maharashtra’s assembly elections, political tensions are rising as opposition parties shift their narrative, casting the BJP-led alliance as being influenced by business magnate Gautam Adani. 

Congress and its allies have pivoted from their “changing of constitution” stance, emphasising Adani’s alleged role in plotting against the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, with Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut claiming Adani seeks control of Mumbai.

Meanwhile, BJP’s attempts to boost voter appeal through welfare schemes and a Hindu-Muslim narrative face internal pushback, with prominent leaders like Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde opposing Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath’s divisive “batenge toh katenge” slogan. 

Ajit Pawar’s recent clarification of his comments about Adani’s presence in a 2019 meeting adds to the controversy, while Sharad Pawar dismisses the notion of a BJP-NCP alliance in that period.