Mahayuti to kick-start Assembly poll campaign from Aug 20, stress on development plank

Mumbai, Aug 9 (IANS) Days after the announcement of welfare and development schemes in the budget for women, farmers, youth and minorities, the Mahayuti will launch a joint campaign for the forthcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on August 20 from Kolhapur.The BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP combine will begin the poll campaign after ‘darshan’ at Mahalaxmi temple which is one of the three-and-half Shakti Peethas listed in various ‘puranas’ of Hinduism.After a dismal performance in the Lok Sabha elections, the Mahayuti has proposed to reach out to voters by putting up a show of unity during the Assembly election campaign by conducting joint tours and rallies.A detailed road map was finalised at the coordination meeting of the three ruling partners on Thursday night in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputies Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar.The Mahayuti leaders were clear that unlike the Lok Sabha polls, they cannot rely just on the ‘Modi wave’ to seek votes in the Assembly elections.Therefore, in a bid to weather anti-incumbency, they have planned to aggressively sell the development plank and how the “double engine” government will be necessary to achieve a $1 trillion economy and push the development process.The Mahayuti’s announcement to launch the campaign from August 20 comes days after the Maha Vikas Aghadi decided to kick-start its poll campaign from August 16.The three parties will hold joint rallies in almost all 288 Assembly constituencies projecting the Mahayuti’s pro-development agenda, urging voters not to ‘fall prey’ to the Opposition’s ‘fake narrative’ which marred its prospects in the General Elections.BJP legislator Prasad Lad, who is the Mahayuti’s coordinator, confirmed that they will kick-start the Assembly poll campaign on August 20 from Kolhapur.“A detailed discussion was held with regard to the Mahayuti’s election strategy in seven regions and 288 Assembly constituencies. A coordination tour of the grand alliance will be organised across the state. CM and two Dy CMs will address public rallies. In addition, a ‘Samvad’ tour is also being organised. A total of seven such meetings will be held in the state while the eighth and concluding one will take place in Mumbai,” he said.As per the campaign plan, the Mahayuti’s prominent leaders will tour for about seven to eight days covering two to three Assembly constituencies every day.Simultaneously, other leaders will also hold meetings in various constituencies.“We will make a sincere effort to reach the people through these rallies,” said Lad.Mahayuti sources said that three partners plan to corner the Maha Vikas Aghadi on the politically crucial reservation issue citing their lack of cooperation to the government to arrive at a consensus.They will reiterate their commitment for the implementation of 10 per cent reservation for the Maratha community without disturbing the OBC quota.(Sanjay Jog can be contacted at [email protected])–IANSsj/rad