Pune: The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi included the Ladki Bahin Yojana of the Mahayuti government after the scheme became a hit with masses, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday. Addressing a poll rally in Shivajinagar here, the CM also said if the MVA government was not brought down in 2022, the state could have gone back by 10-15 years.

The Uddhav Thackeray government fell in June 2022 after Shinde led a rebellion. He went on to become CM with the help of the BJP . “The MVA has stolen the schemes that we have implemented. For the first time, they have included our schemes in their manifesto. Their ‘panchsutri (five point agenda) is nothing but ‘thapa sutri” (false promises). The MVA opposed the Ladki Bahin Yojana, but when it became a hit with people, the opposition included it in their manifesto,” the CM said.

He said opposing a scheme and then copying it shows the double standards of the MVA, which comprises the Shiv Sena (UBT), the Congress and Sharad Pawar ‘s NCP (SP).

“The MVA has promised Rs 4000 to youth as unemployment stipend. But the Mahayuti has already started that scheme and is giving up to Rs 10,000. Maharashtra has seen the magic of double engine government as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is helping the state for various schemes,” he said.

Accusing the MVA of creating rifts based on caste, Shinde said the opposition had stalled development works in the state. Lockdown was their favourite subject, when even temples were closed, and people had to protest to ensure facilities were reopened, Shinde said.

“The moment COVID cases rose in Japan, the MVA would enforce lockdown here,” he said taunting the Thackeray dispensation. Informing that he had not held a single meeting on COVID as CM, Shinde said everyone saw the corruption during the pandemic under the MVA government.

They indulged in corruption on body bags, jumbo hospitals etc, Shinde alleged. It is time to teach them a lesson, he told the gathering. Assembly polls in Maharashtra will be held on November 20, while results will be declared on November 23.