Battle between samvidhan parivar and sangh parivar, BJP cannot dent MVA prospects in Maharashtra polls: Wadettiwar | India News – Times of India

Leader of the Opposition and senior in Congress Vijay Wadettiwar said the elections are a battle to save the honor of Maharashtra even as he termed the dissent of senior Mahayuti leaders against the BJP’s divisive slogans as a drama to save their voting base. He told it Subodh Ghildiyal That agricultural distress and inflation are major issues that will scorch the BJP-led combine.
Q) Senior leaders of the Mahayuti alliance such as Ajit Pawar, Ashok Chavan and Pankaja Munde have spoken out against the polarizing slogans of the BJP leadership. Do you think there is disunity in Mahayuti?
A) It’s their compulsion. If they had not spoken out against these crude slogans, they would have suffered greatly. If you go to a “mandap” and then say that the “dulha-dulhan” couple is not compatible, the question is why you went to the “mandap”. It is pure drama to save their voting base. They have gone along with divisive forces and are now questioning those forces. The question is: why did you go with them and why didn’t you leave them?
Q) But the attempt at polarization can dent the MVA?
A) It will have no impact in Maharashtra. BJP only talks about religion and polarization when it is losing. The Congress and the MVA have said that it is a battle between two ideologies. We have named it “Samvidhan Parivar vs Sangh Parivar”. Our position is that all people are part of the Constitution and are entitled to equal justice. We talk about everyone’s rights. But RSS only talks about the rights of a select few like Manu Smriti and is all about inequality, division as rich over poor, and disrespect for women. We are fighting for “Samvidhan” against Sangh Parivar. They want to make it ‘Hindu versus Muslim’, but in Maharashtra the Shahu-Phule-Ambedkar idea has deep roots.
Q) Maharashtra is mired in so many caste reservation issues. How will this be managed in the future?
A) The villain of ‘Maratha versus OBC’ politics is Devendra Fadnavis. He introduced poison into society for political gain. He spoke about Marathas and also provoked Dhangars by claiming that they would be given ST status in his first cabinet meeting. The responsibility for this chaos lies solely with Fadnavis.
Q) The Mayahuti is betting big on Ladki Behan Yojana, Rs 1500 for women?
A) The plan doesn’t work because inflation is so high. The need on the farm is a major problem because purchase through MSP is not possible. The Prime Minister lies about MSP. The women are fighting against price increases, even as electricity bills have increased by 33%. Their household budgets have been seriously disrupted. It is also a battle to save the honor of Maharashtra as this government has bowed at the feet of Gujarat and is operating on the orders of Gujarat. Employment opportunities in the state have disappeared and unemployment is acute. There is 35% corruption in government works worth Rs 6 lakh crore. The people of Maharashtra know it. And women’s safety is also a major issue.
Q) Looks like there is a tight contest in the Assembly elections even though MVA has won the Lok Sabha.
A) In fact, I see MVA performing better than the Lok Sabha polls. There is so much enthusiasm among people at Rahul Gandhi’s rallies, and women were present in large numbers at Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s big rallies. The enthusiasm among the people remains the same.
Q) Who will benefit from Maratha quota agitator Manoj Jarange Patil’s decision not to contest the elections?
A) We are happy with his decision not to enter politics. I think he felt that one community doesn’t win the election, or that this isn’t the way to do it. But I think Rahul Gandhi’s announcement to do away with the 50% cap on reservations has played a role. He must have understood that the MVA government will do away with the cap and the Maratha community will get justice. But I can’t say who will benefit from his decision.