Toppled MVA govt to save Mahajan & others from going to jail: Shinde

Nashik: Chief minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday said if he, along with other MLAs, had not toppled Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA govt, BJP politician Girish Mahajan would have been behind bars, followed by the others. He alleged that then govt had planned to put members of the earlier BJP-Sena govt in jail.
"MVA govt was not interested in development. One can recall how it only stalled the development works started by earlier govt. It was an egoistic govt that was not willing to seek funds from Centre for Maharashtra's development. In such conditions, we grew restless," the chief minister said explaining the reason behind his move to walk out of Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA govt.
Shinde addressed back-back rallies for party nominees Amol Chiman Patil in Erandol, Kishor Patil in Pachora and Gulabrao Patil in Jalgaon Rural. He said, "MVA govt had planned to put people from the earlier BJP-Shiv Sena govt behind bars. After we learnt about it, we decided to move out. If we had not taken the step, Mahajan would be the first person to be put behind bars, followed by the others."
The CM said after forming govt in the state with BJP, he and his team started various development works. "The Samruddhi Expressway was also stalled. If that govt (MVA) was in place, the work would have been left incomplete," he said.
Shinde said people had voted in favour of the BJP-Sena alliance during the 2019 election. "But MVA govt was formed against the ideals of Balasaheb Thackeray. Subsequent double-engine Mahayuti govt ensured development works worth thousands of crores of rupees. It introduced numerous welfare schemes for the people in Maharashtra," he said.
The CM, while speaking in Erandol, also called upon Mahajan to take all steps and discourage any division of votes.
"I hope Girish Mahajan will use his skills in favour of Mahayuti candidate here," CM Shinde said in indirect reference to former BJP MP A T Nana Patil, who is contesting as an independent from the constituency.
Speaking at a rally for Sena candidate Abhijit Adsul in Daryapur constituency, Shinde said Mahayuti govt was for the farmers, who had the first authority on govt treasury. "The price drop in soybean and cotton has hurt farmers. To give them relief, Bhavantar Yojana will be implemented in the state. Besides, subsidy will be provide to cover the price gap up to 20%," Shinde said.
The CM said Mahayuti had promised to waive farmers' debt. "Apart from this, we are going to give Rs 15,000 under Shetkari Samman Yojana. Modern orange processing centres will be started at three locations in Nagpur and two in Amravati (Vidarbha)," Shinde said, adding that lakhs of farmers will benefit because of the Wainganga and Nalganga river linking project. (With inputs from Nagpur)