"Mahayuti will win with thumping majority," CM Eknath Shinde on upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections; slams Opposition MVA

New Delhi [India], August 18 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday exuded confidence that the BJP-led Mahayuti government will win the upcoming Assembly elections with a decisive majority.
The elections to 288 assembly constituencies are scheduled to take place later this year.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, CM Shinde said, "We are going to win the Maharashtra (Assembly elections). I am saying it with confidence. The Mahayuti government will win with a thumping majority."
Shinde criticized the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for their performance during their two-and-a-half-year tenure.
"Because people here in Maharashtra are wise. (What they did during) two and half years and what we have done in two years? And the development and welfare schemes. What is it? Who brought them? Today, see how many villages and cities of Ladli Behna, all our Behna are so excited. How many schemes have they brought? Why? For whom does the government need it?" added Shinde.
He highlighted the achievements of his government in the last two years, citing various development and welfare schemes.
"They need the government who will give them something in their lives. To bring a change in their lives. we have formed a complete eco-system. In the house, the sister-in-law, the Chief Minister's sister-in-law benefits. The girl has the Lakpati scheme. We have done that. We have done to farmers. If there is a youth at home, he has a stipend. We did these schemes? See, we have not done it for elections," CM Shinde added.
Shinde claimed that his government did not announce these schemes with an eye on the elections, unlike the Congress.
"You have to make preparations. It didn't happen in a day or a month. We did the Lek Ladaki scheme eight months ago. We were preparing for it for eight to nine months. So, keeping this election in mind, we haven't done any campaign. When the Congress did it, when the elections come, We will give this, we will give that. After the elections, they term it as a printing mistake. We don't have money. We are not among those who are doing it. We will do what we have said. Completely. The benefits of all the schemes will reach to them," CM Shinde said.
Elections to the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly are scheduled to be held later this year. However, the Election Commission of India has yet to announce the dates.
The tenure of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly is scheduled to end in November.
The Mahavikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, which came to power in the state, collapsed after Eknath Shinde revolted and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) along with a bunch of MLAs. This led to the formation of the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction)-BJP government in the state.
Ajit Pawar, from the NCP, revolted against his party chief and joined hands with the BJP along with some of his party colleagues.
The state is now run by the Mahayuti alliance, comprising the BJP, Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP.