Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis, Aaditya Thackeray trade barbs at Dahi Handi mandals
The ruling alliance was at the forefront, with chief minister Eknath Shinde campaigning about his government’s welfare schemes announced ahead of the elections
Mumbai: With the Maharashtra assembly elections around the corner, leaders from across parties on Tuesday rushed to woo young voters by organising and attending Dahi Handi celebrations in Mumbai and Thane.
The ruling Mahayuti alliance was at the forefront, with chief minister Eknath Shinde campaigning about his government’s welfare schemes announced ahead of the elections. “Let the Opposition cry foul, but only Mahayuti will break the handi of the assembly elections,” he said at a Janmashtami event in Thane.
With 36 assembly seats in Mumbai and 24 in Thane and Palghar on the line, political leaders organised entertainment programmes, including celebrities, to attract the youth at various Dahi Handi mandals. Prizes worth lakhs of rupees were on offer for the ‘govindas’ who formed human pyramids to break an earthen pot strung up at a height.
Shinde used the opportunity to underline that his government isn’t just working for the benefit of women. Earlier this month, the Maharashtra government introduced the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana, a scheme that promises ₹1,500 to underprivileged women. The populist scheme has been criticised by the Opposition, especially after the recent Badlapur school sexual abuse incident.
“Our government is working for the benefit of people. As we are giving ₹1,500 per month to ladki bahin (beloved sister), we are also taking care of ladka bhau (beloved brother). Unemployed youth will get ₹6,000- 10,000 under the scheme with the opportunity to work as an apprentice. We are giving free power to farmers. So, let the Opposition cry foul. Only the Mahayuti government will break the handi of victory in the assembly elections,” said Shinde at Tembhi Naka in Thane, which is associated with his mentor, the late Anand Dighe. The chief minister visited around 20 Dahi Handi mandals in Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.
The BJP, on the other hand, tried to corner the Shiv Sena (UBT) in Worli, the assembly constituency of party scion Aaditya Thackeray. It organised a ‘Parivartan Dahi Handi’ (Dahi Handi for change), which included a live drama of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj killing Afzal Khan.
Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, who was present at the function, slammed the Thackeray camp, saying the Mahayuti will defeat the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in the same way Shivaji Maharaj defeated Afzal Khan.
“Only Mahayuti, which follows the teachings of Lord Krishna, Lord Ram and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, will break the handi of victory in the assembly elections,” said Fadnavis, who visited around 12 dahi handi processions, including Worli, Ghatkopar, and Thane.
Over on the MVA side, Aaditya Thackeray visited nine Dahi Handis organised by local Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders. The Worli MLA responded to the attacks by the ruling alliance: “Deputy CM Fadnavis has time to launch a political attack but has no time to visit Badlapur and show the power of law. He has no time to quickly arrest the accused in the Shivaji statue collapse case in Sindhudurg. The police have been attacked by criminals in Pune.”
Thackeray added that Fadnavis is right in saying only those who follow Lord Krishna and Lord Ram will win in the election, which is why the opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA won the Lok Sabha elections in the Ayodhya constituency.