Mumbai: In a scathing attack on the ruling Mahayuti alliance, Samajwadi Party’s Maharashtra president, Abu Asim Azmi, has accused the government of squandering public welfare funds on rampant corruption. Azmi claimed an estimated Rs.70,000 crore had been siphoned off during the tenure of the alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, BJP, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP. Speaking to reporters, Azmi warned that further corruption scandals were likely to surface, asserting, “The money that was meant for public welfare has been wasted on corruption.”
As the Maharashtra Assembly elections draw near, political tensions continue to rise. Azmi, who will be contesting the Mankhurd-Shivajinagar seat against Shiv Sena’s Suresh Patil and NCP’s Nawab Malik, emphasised that if corruption was halted, substantial funds could be redirected to the state’s development. Malik, who faces opposition from the Mahayuti alliance partners, expressed confidence in his victory, despite the ongoing political rivalry.
The opposition MVA coalition, which comprises Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP(SCP), is gearing up to challenge the ruling alliance in the upcoming elections. With campaigning intensifying, all eyes are on the November 20 polls, where the people of Maharashtra will decide the fate of the 288 constituencies, with vote counting scheduled for November 23.
