Congress Accuses Maharashtra's Mahayuti Coalition of Betraying Farmers

On Sunday, the Congress party launched a strong critique of Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti coalition, accusing it of betrayal and claiming that the people will not forget its unfulfilled promises. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh emphasized that farmers have been particularly neglected, stating that the grand commitments made to them have produced no results.

Ramesh pointed out that the ambitious plan to create a water grid in Marathwada to provide piped drinking water to all villages has not been realized. He asserted that the coalition is a government built on "betrayal of loyalty, ideology, and the people of Maharashtra."

He remarked, "Those who pledged Jalyukt Shivar have instead delivered Jalmukt Shivar. Maharashtra will not forgive them." This criticism comes as the state grapples with severe water shortages, with over 600 villages and 178 hamlets in Marathwada relying on water tankers this summer, one of the driest in recent years.

Ramesh noted that drinking water levels in reservoirs have plummeted to just 19 percent compared to 40 percent the previous year. He also highlighted the deteriorating condition of the Godavari River, criticizing the allocation of 88 crores for its cleaning in 2022, which failed to improve water quality. This attack on the ruling coalition, which includes the BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, comes as the Congress, in alliance with Uddhav Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Sharad Pawar's NCP, prepares for the upcoming assembly elections on November 20.