Congress launches campaign for Maharashtra polls, attacks Centre

Launching its election campaign for the Maharashtra assembly polls, the Congress Monday attacked the NDA central government on various issues including denying power to the state and having a secret agenda to divide it.

After lighting the election flame, Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan accused the central dispensation of deliberately denying power to the state from the central electricity grids.

He said he had already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting a meeting of all chief ministers to discuss the power scenario.

"If the Centre fails to takes measures, the country will face a severe power crisis. The Centre is trying to create trouble for Maharashtra by not allocating sufficient power from the central grid, but we will not allow our people to be affected by it and do everything possible to ensure enough power here," Chavan said.

Referring to Modi's 100 days in power, he claimed that the National Democratic Alliance government's report card was dismal.

"Barring inaugurating projects which were started and completed by the UPA, they have done nothing, like controlling the inflation. Maharashtra has shown the way to the country and we are also showing the way to the central government, they want to copy our schemes," Chavan said at a huge rally attended by top party leaders and activists from across the state at Azad Maidan here.

Discussing the recent incidents at the borders, he said that there are several instances of ceasefire violations, but the people at the helm are quiet.

"Those who had warned Pakistan of a hardline policy, where are they now? The promised 'acchhe din' (good days) don't seem to be coming soon," he said.

Chavan also accused the central government of endangering the Centre-state relations which were always protected by the UPA. "Chief ministers are humiliated at official functions in the presence of the prime minister. The people of this state will not tolerate such insults," he said.

Claiming that public money was used to project one person, he said that though the outcome of Lok Sabha polls was unexpected, people have now realized their folly.

Former union minister and manifesto committee chairman Sushilkumar Shinde charged the government of not working for the poor. "They have reduced petrol prices, but hiked the diesel prices," he said.

Accusing the central government of harassing opposition-ruled states, he said that during the UPA regime, he, as the power minister, coordinated the surplus power and supplied to the needy states, irrespective of which party was ruling there.

Campaign committee chairman Narayan Rane said the BJP had a secret agenda to divide Maharashtra and create a separate Vidarbha, but the people of the state would not accept it.

Other speakers, including state Congress President Manikrao Thakre, urged the people to vote the Congress led alliance, ruling since 1999, to a fourth term as it has brought all-round development and progress in the state.