Patole Accuses Maharashtra Government of Ministerial Corruption and Mismanagement of Welfare Schemes

On Friday, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole accused the Mahayuti government of having a significant number of "tainted" ministers, claiming that 65% of them were problematic. He pointed out that despite the cabinet being sworn in last month, many ministers had yet to begin their work. He further criticized the BJP-Shiv Sena-NCP government for its failure to address the ongoing distress among soybean, cotton, onion, and dairy farmers, as well as the rising unemployment levels in the state.

Responding to rumors about former Congress MLA from Pune, Ravindra Dhangekar, potentially joining the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Patole suggested that some politicians treat politics like business, switching allegiance based on who holds power. However, he insisted that the people remain loyal to Congress. Dhangekar, when asked about his meeting with Shinde earlier in the day, dismissed rumors of leaving Congress, stating that the meeting was only related to his former constituency.

Patole also raised concerns about the Election Commission's lack of transparency in its functioning and criticized the state's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, which offers financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women. He alleged that the scheme was being misused by women from outside the state and even some Bangladeshi nationals, who managed to receive benefits by submitting fraudulent identity documents.