Maharashtra assembly polls likely in 2nd week of November, prefer two phases: CM Eknath Shinde

MUMBAI: Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena president Eknath Shinde said on Sunday the assembly polls are likely to be held in the second week of Nov and that a two-phase election would be preferable. The last time Maharashtra had a twophase assembly election was in 1999, reports Priyanka Kakodkar.
“We expect that the polls will be announced some time in Oct,” the CM told reporters at the Ganpati festivities at Varsha, his official residence.On the progress of seat sharing talks within Mahayuti, Shinde said the main criteria are winnability of a party in a seat and the party’s strike rate.
Asked about the burden of pre-poll schemes on the exchequer, he said, “We are well within the fiscal limits.”

CM Eknath Shinde on Sunday said state govt’s Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yoj ana—under which underprivileged women aged 21-65 can get Rs 1,500 a month —has received tremendous response from women. So far, over 1.6 crore women have registered for the scheme.
He also said 1.4 lakh applicants have so far been accepted for Mukhyamantri Yuva Prashikshan Yo jana, an internship scheme for unemployed youth. The state’s aim is to expand the scheme to 10 lakh applicants.
Asked about the financial burden of govt’s pre-election schemes on the exchequer, Shinde said, “We are well within the fiscal limits when it comes to govt borrowings. Also, we are spending on new projects and on infrastructure. This spending will result in increased income for the state, especially in terms of GST, in the long run.” He dismissed concerns that the state govt is struggling to pay employees’ salaries. “These are just rumours,” he said.
On the state’s plans to create affordable housing and make the city slum-free, Shinde said state agencies, including Slum Rehabilitation Authority, Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority, Mumbai Metropo litan Region Development Authority and City and Industrial Development Corporation, will get involved to resolve stuck projects and bring in developers. “It is a matter of demand and supply. Once we create more supply, prices will come down.”
He gave the example of Ramabai Ambedkar Nagar, a 33-hectare slum colony in Ghatkopar, where 17,000 tenements are set to be taken up for redevelopment.