MUMBAI: Maharashtra chief minister Eknath Shinde took a jibe at Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge‘s comments about “fake promises,” claiming the Congress only knows “how to take” from the people.
Responding to Congress’ ‘khata khat’ remarks, Shinde remarked that while Congress had not delivered a single rupee to citizens, his government has been consistently putting funds in people’s accounts “pat pata, pat.”
In an interview, CM Shinde highlighted the differences between his administration and the Congress-led opposition, stating, “They don’t know how to give; they only know how to take. If PM Modi sends one rupee, the entire amount goes into DBT. We follow every guideline, including RBI and Central Government rules, and are well within the limits of fiscal responsibility.”
He referenced Congress-led states such as Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, and Telangana, where, according to him, promises remain unfulfilled. “Our government works for the people. The previous government worked for itself, amassing wealth while ignoring the public,” Shinde asserted.
Earlier, Kharge had urged Congress units to ensure budget-based guarantees. Addressing this, Shinde said, “The money for the Ladli Behen scheme for November is being transferred in October to avoid any impact from the Model Code of Conduct.”
The Ladli Behen scheme, launched on August 17, provides financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to women aged 21-65 with an annual income below Rs 2.5 lakh. Shinde underscored his commitment, saying, “I come from a poor farmer family, and I know what poverty feels like. My dream is to make our sisters lakhpati, and we will fulfill this.”