'Anti-Hindu party, B-team of Muslim League': BJP's Nitesh Rane attacks Congress on Maharashtra manifesto

NEW DELHI: As Maharashtra's Assembly elections approach, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Nitesh Rane launched a scathing attack on the Congress party, accusing it of copying the BJP-Mahayuti alliance manifesto. Rane also labelled Congress as "anti-Hindu" and the “B-team of the Muslim League."

Rane’s comments, made in a statement to ANI on Thursday, come amid intensifying political campaigns across Maharashtra. "We saw Congress' manifesto yesterday, and it is a copy of the BJP and Mahayuti manifesto. Rahul Gandhi should have clarified yesterday how many guarantees the Congress government in Karnataka and other Congress-ruled states have actually fulfilled," said Rane.

"Before elections, Congress makes promises, but after coming to power, they cite budget shortages. Their false guarantees will not work here."

Rane’s remarks highlight the heated rivalry as the Mahayuti alliance, which includes BJP, Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena faction, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction, faces off against the opposition Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition, comprising Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP.

The Baramati constituency, in particular, is set to witness a high-stakes battle as NCP leader Ajit Pawar is expected to contest against his nephew, Yugendra Pawar, adding a layer of family rivalry to the race. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Baramati saw another notable clash when Supriya Sule of the NCP defeated BJP-backed candidate Sunetra Pawar by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections are scheduled for November 20, with vote counting across all 288 constituencies to take place on November 23.

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