After Tanaji Sawant’s snub: NCP hits back at Shinde Sena, names govt scheme ‘Ajitdada Ladki Bahin Yojana’ in its ad
Putting the Shiv Sena into shade, the NCP has changed the name of the state government’s flagship Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana in its advertisement.
Ajit Pawar alongside Eknath Shinde and Devendra Fadnavis.(File)
DAYS after a Shiv Sena minister poured scorn on the NCP, Ajit Pawar’s party has hit back, once again bringing to the fore the internal war in the Mahayuti. The latest round of verbal duel has erupted over an advertisement released by the NCP.
Putting the Shiv Sena into shade, the NCP has changed the name of the state government’s flagship Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana in its advertisement. It has removed the word ‘Mukhya Mantri’ in the advertisement and instead called it ‘Ajitdada’s Ladki Bahin Yojana’.
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A video of the advertisement has gone viral. The video carries a picture of Ajit Pawar wearing his pink jacket. The picture of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are missing. The advertisement emphasises that, “brother’s love for sister has not lessened… ‘Ajitdada Cha Vaada’ (Ajitdada’s promise)… Ajitdada Ladki Bahin Yojana for women from ages of 21 to 65 years of age”.
The Shiv Sena led by Shinde has objected to the name change of the scheme. “All central and state schemes are named after the head of government. Be it Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana or the Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, they are named after the heads of government. Similarly, the Mukhya Mantri Lakdi Bahin Yojana is in the name of the chief minister,” said Sena minister Shumbharaj Desai.
Desai said the government resolution (GR) released in this regard calls the scheme Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana. “The GR was released after approval from the state cabinet. The Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana is the official name of the scheme. Entire Maharashtra knows the scheme was brought by the chief minister. The chief minister heads the Mahayuti and therefore the scheme is in the name of the chief minister,” he said.
NCP spokesperson Umesh Patil said, “The official name of the scheme remains the same as Mukhya Mantri Ladki Bahin Yojana. However, as part of our party’s campaigning ahead of the Assembly elections, we are promoting it as Ajitdada’s Ladki Bahin Yojana.”
Shooting down Shinde Sena’s objection, Patil said, “Who brought the scheme? Who announced the scheme? Who is going around the state promoting the scheme? It is Ajitdada and therefore there is nothing wrong if we promote it in the name of our leader who is the most popular leader in Maharashtra.”
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Another NCP leader Dhananjay Munde said the name of the scheme will remain the same. “We are promoting it as part of our campaign. This is a Mahayuti subject and being taken to the people as a Mahayuti scheme,” he said.
The BJP, however, called it a conspiracy by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA). “The MVA is trying to create fissures in the Mahayuti,” alleged BJP leader Sudhir Mungantiwar.
Under the Ladki Bahin Yojana, the Maharashtra government is giving Rs 1,500 every month to women from 21 to 65 years of age. The scheme has already started rolling. The deadline of the scheme, which was earlier August 31, has now been extended till September 30.
The NCP led by Ajit Pawar is upset with the Shinde Sena after one of its ministers, Tanaji Sawant, at a public event said he vomits after sitting in cabinet meetings with NCP ministers. After the remark, the chief minister’s silence and refusal to reprimand Sawant further angered the NCP.
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