Maharashtra will not accept attack on its self-respect by BJP: Revanth Reddy

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy campaigning in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra on Saturday, in support of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance for Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Invoking the Telangana-Marathwada-Vidarbha sentiment, the three regions that were once under the Nizam’s rule, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said that people in these regions don’t approve the hegemony of people sitting in New Delhi, and BJP would be defeated in the Maharashtra elections.

Speaking at several public meetings in the region in support of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) candidates, Mr. Reddy said people would teach both Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar a strong lesson for siding with the ‘Gujarati’ leaders who had hurt the Marathi sentiment.

Mr. Reddy called upon people to bury the BJP that was conspiring to topple the governments, breaking political parties and using local Opposition leaders in their desire to grab power.

Mr. Shinde and Mr. Pawar are BJP’s pawns and should be defeated, he said, while recalling how the Congress defeated BRS, which he claimed, had a secret deal with BJP to stop the party’s growth in Telangana.

The CM also said that the Modi government was doing extreme injustice to Maharashtra, which contributes a large amount of taxes to the Central pool, and Maharashtra should stand united against BJP’s ‘injustices’. He reminded that BJP has no real representation in Mumbai, which is the key to the country’s economy, and other big cities like Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai and Kolkata.

Talking about the series of welfare programmes in Telangana, the Chief Minister said that his government waived off ₹18,000 crore farm loans, the highest ever by any State government, while all women are given the facility to travel free in RTC buses. Free electricity up to 200 units for households and gas cylinders at ₹500 are also extended. Can the BJP show such welfare schemes in any of its States, he asked.

Only Congress has concern for the poor, he said, calling for the defeat of the Mahayuti government consisting of BJP, Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.