The Eknath Shinde-led MahaYuti government of Maharashtra completes two years in office when ahead of it lie the formidable challenges in the Assembly elections slated for September-October. Claimed to be the sizeable anti-incumbency against this government, coupled with an aggressive opposition, its possible retention in office will prove to be a litmus test.
Even though Chief Minister Shinde and his supporters have made numerous claims of the mistake not being repeated, opposition is likely to take mileage from the growing angst among its coalition partners. Government has been wading through choppy waters since it came to existence in June 2022 with the leadership challenge from Shinde, but somehow managed to survive despite reverses in some recent general elections where the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi had made a dent.
Not deterred by electoral reverses, CM Shinde is optimistic about converting challenges into opportunities by focusing on the initiatives taken by the government for the progress of the state and welfare of different sections of society.
"We were setback in the Lok Sabha because of the wrong narrative presented by the opposition. But, as the Assembly elections get nearer, I am sure people of Maharashtra will assess out performance and give us another opportunity," said CM Shinde. Reiterating the commitment of the government towards infrastructure development and other inclusivist policies where dalits are getting adequate benefits, he said, "Our government is committed to weaker sections, women, youth, farmers, and labourers."
"The overwhelming love of the people, the commitment of Shiv Sena workers, and the united alliance of our coalition partners together strengthened our efforts to undertake various initiatives for public welfare," said CM Shinde, pointing to the visible impact among farmers, laborers, women, senior citizens, and youth at large in every nook and corner of the state.
Now, with the full budget in place, the Shinde-led MahaYuti government is all geared up to reach out very aggressively before the Assembly elections in explaining pro-farmer, women-centric, youth-oriented, and development-focused proposals. The aim is to further deepen public trust and backing by talking about what has been achieved and decided during the tenure.
Despite being the most competitive race of federalism prevailing between states, Maharashtra has emerged at the forefront—crossing the $500 billion economy mark and subsequently setting bigger targets for its future growth—it has been a leader in terms of FDI inflows, electricity capacity, organic farming, and total exports at the national level.
Some major policy initiatives, like the Manila Samman Yojana for relief in MSRTC bus fare and Lek Ladki Yojana for the girl child empowerment scheme, are under Mission Shakti for women's welfare, housing construction, and economic policies, along with the Maharashtra Green Hydrogen policy, slated to become part of the campaign.
However, there are also internal concerns within the MahaYuti coalition that have sounded a word of caution, specifically on reservations for the Maratha, OBC, Dhangar, and Muslim communities so that the cleavages in society do not get reflected in electoral results. To the opposition charges of industrial flight to neighboring states, the government has worked out a resilience plan and monitoring system to effectively track investments and industrial proposals.
As Maharashtra gets ready to deliver its electoral verdict, for Shinde and coalition partners, it has come down to a make-or-break situation as they grapple to equate gains with challenges in their demand for a renewed mandate to govern and develop.
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