Government in Maha will "change" after one yr: BJP minister

BJP minister in Maharashtra Girish Bapat has said the government in the state will "change" after one year and asked pomegranate growers to put forward their demands "now".
"Get after us for your demands now because after one year, the government will change. I will not discuss on what will happen ahead but I know what is going to happen.
"Whichever party's government comes (in the state), it is their prime duty to help the farmers," he said.
Bapat was speaking at a national conference on pomegranate organised here last week.
The minister made the statement after pomegranate growers listed their demands to him.

The BJP is heading the Maharashtra's ruling coalition in which the Shiv Sena and some other parties are partners.

The BJP came to power in the state in 2014 after ending a 15-year-old long rule of the Congress-NCP.
The BJP and Shiv Sena ties are far from cordial and the Uddhav Thackeray-led party often criticises the senior partner over policy decisions and political issues.
Assembly polls in Maharashtra are due in the second half of 2019.
Late last year, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kakde had claimed his party would not win enough seats to form the next government in Gujarat.

He was proved wrong as the BJP won the December Assembly elections in the adjoining state though with a reduced margin.