Shinde indicates Assembly polls to be held in November second week

Speaking to reporters at his official residence Varsha, Shinde said, “Elections are likely in the second week of November. A two-phase election would be preferable. Merit and good strike rate will be the criteria for seat-sharing among the Mahayuti allies.”

Though the election schedule is yet to be officially announced, preparations by political parties are in full swing as polls could be held in the second or third week of November. The term of the current assembly will last till the end of November.

Neither Maha Vikas Aghadi nor Mahyuti have finalised their seat sharing pact as talks are still underway in the preliminary stage. However, the Maharashtra CM said that the Mahayuti constituents will finlalise their seat-sharing in the next 8-10 days. He claimed that women are supporting his government, which is the government of the common people. “We have struck a balance between development and welfare schemes. The appointment letters have been given to 1.5 lakh youth for jobs under the skilled training programme for which they will get a stipend from Rs 6,000 to Rs 10,000. The target is to cover 10 lakh youth,” he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader Balasaheb Thorat accused the Maharashtra CM and deputy CM Devedra Fadnavis of trying to create a communal discord ahead of the Assembly election by spreading “fake news”. Shinde on Saturday had alleged that the Congress government in Karnataka was trying to shut down Ganesh festival celebrations.

“The only thing that the CM and DCM are doing full time is creating a fake narrative by constantly spreading fake news. Earlier, they protested against a statement of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi regarding reservation, which he did not make. And now, an attempt is being made to create religious discord in the state by spreading fake news about what did not happen in Karnataka. The people of the state are wise and along with your fake narrative, your government will also be uprooted,” Throat said.