With just a few days to go for the single-phase Maharashtra assembly elections, the Mahayuti is pulling all stops to make sure that they have a successful run at the political box office this November 20.
Apart from local leaders, the Mahayuti has campaigners not only from their respective parties, which are in the electoral fray, but from NDA partners as well.
To kickstart the last leg, a crucial address will be delivered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning as he interacts virtually with booth ‘karyakartas’ via the ‘Mera Booth Sabse Majboot’ campaign.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will also arrive for a two-day stay in Mumbai starting Saturday. He is expected to campaign in chief minister Eknath Shinde’s home district Thane, which is home to a significant population hailing from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. On Sunday, Naidu will hold a press conference at the BJP media centre.
Telugu star-turned-politician and deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan will also campaign in Maharashtra on Saturday. The NDA wants to make the most of his star power and appeal among the youth. Kalyan will hold three rallies followed by a roadshow in Sholapur.
Apart from this, several Union ministers will be present in Mumbai and other locations for electoral campaign.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is expected to hold three rallies in the state on Saturday. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will hold a press briefing the same day. Interestingly, former finance minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram is also expected to hold a press briefing in Mumbai around the same time.
Another press briefing by Tourism and Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will be held at the media centre in the capital city. Shekhawat will also campaign later in the day in some constituencies in Mumbai. Other Union ministers who will campaign on Saturday include Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju. Rijiju has been in the state over the last couple of days, focusing on his outreach to the Dalit Buddhist community.
Apart from this, Maharashtra faces in the Union Cabinet, including Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal, will continue with their campaign in their respective constituencies.
Among the chief ministers of BJP-ruled states, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel will campaign in Mumbai and reach out to the Gujarati community, an influential vote bank that forms the economic backbone of the finance capital.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will also canvass in Mumbai and reach out to voters hailing from Rajasthan.
The leaders, who will traverse through the length and breadth of the state, are expected to take the message of development and the advantages of double-engine government to the people.
One of the most populous schemes of the current government has been the ‘Ladki Bahin Yojana’ through which five instalments have already been deposited directly into the bank accounts of more than 2.5 crore women across the state. Women welfare is also likely to be at the centre stage of the pitch being made by the leaders.
On November 14, PM Modi ended his campaign in Maharashtra by holding a rally at the iconic Shivaji Park, where he expressed confidence in the victory of the BJP-led alliance.
The elections will take place on November 20 and the results will be declared on November 23 alongside Jharkhand, which is voting in two phases.
