NCP (SP) Leader Anil Deshmukh Stakes Claim to Key Assembly Seats, Pledges to Boost Women's Aid Scheme

NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh has announced that the party will stake its claim on key assembly seats in Maharashtra, asserting that the Maha Vikas Aghadi will unseat the Eknath Shinde government in the upcoming elections. He also highlighted plans to increase financial aid for women under the Ladki Bahin Yojana.

NCP (SP) leader Anil Deshmukh on Monday announced that the Sharad Pawar-led party will stake claim to the Tirora, Arjuni Morgaon assembly seats in Gondia, and Tumsar in Bhandara.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi, an alliance of NCP (SP), Congress, and Shiv Sena (UBT), aims to overthrow the Eknath Shinde government in the upcoming elections, he asserted.

'We will claim these three seats as we have sitting MLAs there,' declared the former state home minister during a meeting of NCP (SP) workers.

Deshmukh also revealed that Bhagyashree Atram, daughter of state minister Dharamrao Atram, had shown interest in contesting against her father from Aheri after meeting with Sharad Pawar and Jayant Patil.

When questioned about running against Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis from Nagpur South West, Deshmukh refrained from a direct answer, stating he would run from any seat assigned by his party.

He criticized the Shinde government for increasing crimes against women and claimed a lack of law and order in the state.

Deshmukh termed the Ladki Bahin Yojana an election gimmick but assured that the scheme won't be closed if MVA takes power. Instead, financial aid for women would be increased from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000, he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)