'Not Concerned About Farmers’ Woes': Sharad Pawar Attacks BJP-Led Maharashtra Govt, Says Must Be Removed From Power

File Photo of Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SCP) chief Sharad Pawar. (ANI)

Maharashtra Elections 2024: The ruling alliance in Maharashtra must be removed from power as it is not concerned about the suffering of farmers due to drop in prices for crops, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said on Sunday. He also claimed that the BJP was aiming for 400 seats in the Lok Sabha polls to change the Constitution but ended up being dependent on Nitish Kumar’s JD(U) and N Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP to form the government.

Addressing a rally in the Gangapur constituency in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district ahead of the November 20 assembly polls, he said prices for crops like sugarcane, soybean and jowar have plummeted. “Farmers who satiate the hunger of the country are in distress, but the ruling parties are not concerned. Such people have no right to be in power. They must be unseated. In the last nine months, 950 farmers have committed suicide. This is because they cannot recover capital investment, leading to burden of loans," he said.

When the NCP-Congress was in power in Maharashtra, farm loans of Rs 71,000 crore were waived, and there was a need for another round of waiver urgently, he said. But the Union government is not bothered, Pawar asserted. In Gangapur, BJP's sitting MLA Prashant Bamb is pitted against NCP (SP) candidate Satish Chavan.

Addressing a rally in Ghanswangi constituency to canvass for his party candidate and former Maharashtra health minister Rajesh Tope, the veteran politician said MVA will conduct caste census if voted to power. A caste census is essential for ensuring that communities receive their rightful entitlements based on their population and needs, he said.

The BJP was aiming for over 400 seats in the Lok Sabha elections as it wanted to change the Constitution, but people thwarted the plan, he claimed. The saffron party had to rely on the support of JD(U) and TDP, he said. He reiterated Maha Vikas Aghadi’s promise of monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 to women and health insurance of Rs 25 lakh for every family, besides farm loan waiver. MVA consists of Congress, NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT).

Pawar urged citizens to vote for Tope, recalling his “commendable” work as health minister during the COVID pandemic. Tope accused the ruling Mahayuti dispensation, comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP, of giving step-motherly treatment to his constituency and blocking its development.

The Ghanswangi seat is set for a riveting contest. Besides Tope from MVA and Shiv Sena’s Hikmant Udhan as Mahayuti nominee, BJP rebel Satish Ghadge and Sena (UBT) rebel Shivaji Chothe are also in the fray as independents. Maharashtra assembly polls will be held on November 20 and votes will be counted on November 23.