Mumbai: Despite invitations being sent to key leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the oath-taking ceremony, prominent figures such as Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray chose not to attend the ceremony.
Following the MVA’s defeat, opposition leaders raised allegations of election rigging, blaming the Election Commission (EC) and EVM machines for their loss. Several MVA candidates even filed applications for a recount with the EC.
Nana Patole, the president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee, sharply criticised the newly formed government after the oath-taking ceremony.
He accused the government of ‘stealing the people’s mandate’ with the help of election manipulation and claimed the process was tainted by controversy. According to Patole, the internal conflicts of the three-party alliance had damaged the image of Maharashtra.
He further pointed out that, while a Gujarat-backed government had been re-established in Maharashtra, the state’s pride symbolised by icons like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Shahu Maharaj, Phule and Ambedkar should not be undermined.
Regarding the formation of the new government, Patole stated that although the Mahayuti had a majority, forming the government had been a challenging process. He said that Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar have little political clout.
He further argued that the BJP no longer needed Shinde, as the majority was secured, and Modi and Shah had effectively sidelined both Shinde and Pawar.
Patole called for immediate implementation of key promises such as farm loan waivers, waivers on electricity bills for agricultural pumps, Rs2,100 monthly support for women, and the filling of 2.5 lakh vacant government positions.
