Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday targeted the Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra and asked whether the decision to hike honorarium and salaries of madrassa teachers was not “vote jihad”.

He said implementation of schemes like the Mukhyamantri Ladki Bahin Yojana or hiking the working capital of Maulana Azad Financial Corporation from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore were being done keeping electoral arithmetic in mind.

Assembly polls are likely to be held in the state next month. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26.

“Is this (schemes like Ladki Bahin and salary hike of madrassa teachers) not vote jihad? The salaries should increase of those who teach children but they (BJP) would have called it vote jihad had we done it,” Raut said.

Congress leader Naseem Khan said the move to hike honorarium and salaries of madrassa teachers was done with an eye on the upcoming polls.

“Why is the BJP not taking action against its leaders who are threatening Muslims,” he questioned.

The decision to hike honorarium and salaries as well as the working capital of the Maulana Azad Financial Corporation is not for the upliftment of Muslims but to ensure the BJP does not fare as poorly as it did in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“However, despite all these (motives), we welcome both decisions. But the countdown of the ruling alliance’s defeat in the Maharashtra polls has begun,” Khan asserted.

Hitting back, senior state BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said the government has not increased the salaries of Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut whose party resorted to vote jihad in the Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP’s Mahayuti government does not differentiate on the lines of religion when it comes to health and education, Somaiya claimed.

Earlier this month, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis blamed vote jihad for the defeat of Mahayuti alliance in the Lok Sabha polls in Maharashtra.

As per a cabinet decision, the working capital of Maulana Azad Financial Corporation will be hiked from Rs 700 crore to Rs 1,000 crore. The honorarium for madrassa teachers with D.Ed degree will be increased from Rs 6,000 to Rs 16,000, while that of teachers with BA, B.Ed. BSc degrees will be hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)

The controversial 6, Flagstaff Road bungalow in Civil Lines was formally allotted to Delhi Chief Minister Atishi on Friday, two days after she was allegedly forcibly made to vacate it, officials said.

They said the bungalow in Civil Lines has been formally allotted to Atishi after completion of due process of handover and preparation of inventory.

An offer letter issued by the Public Works Department (PWD) mentioned that as the bungalow is under investigation by the CBI and other agencies for various “violations”, the allottee is “advised” to extend full cooperation in the probe.

The BJP targeted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal dubbing the bungalow, in which he lived as the Delhi chief minister for nine years, as “Sheeshmahal” for alleged irregularities in its reconstruction, costly interiors and household items there.

The bungalow was at the centre of an intense tussle involving the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the lieutenant governor (LG) office after Kejriwal vacated it earlier this month.

The PWD letter stated that the bungalow was allotted to Chief Minister Atishi according to the provisions of Delhi Administration Allotment of Government Residences (General Pool) Rules, 1977.

The offer letter requested her for submission of an acceptance duly forwarded with three copies of family photo, within eight days after which she will be given an “authority slip” by the PWD in order to take possession of the bungalow.

“In case of failure to take the possession of the allotted bungalow within the time specified, the allotment will be treated as cancelled,” said the letter.

It stated that the allottee will have to vacate if she was in occupation of any other government bungalow within 15 days after taking possession of the 6, Flagstaff Road residence.

Atishi was allotted AB-17 bungalow on Mathura Road, after her appointment as minister of Delhi government last year.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)

Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday sought to scotch speculation over his leaving the state cabinet meeting early, and said all is well within the ruling Mahayuti alliance comprising BJP, Shiv Sena and his NCP.

Speaking at a press conference here after inducting actor Sayaji Shinde in the Nationalist Congress Party, Pawar was non-committal about whether he would contest from the Baramati assembly seat, stating that the decision will be taken after seat-sharing is finalized.

“I had to leave early to attend a scheduled programme at Ahmedpur in Marathwada region,” the NCP chief said. “All the cabinet decisions taken yesterday have my approval,” he added.

Pawar’s brief attendance at a crucial cabinet meeting in Mumbai Thursday had raised eyebrows, particularly as numerous financially significant decisions were taken in his absence even though he is the finance minister.

Thirty-eight decisions — many of them having major financial implications — were taken in the two-and-half hours after he had left.

“All is well and speculation about any dispute in the state cabinet meeting is baseless,” Pawar said.

“Too much is being read into it,” he added.

The state cabinet can overrule objections of any department, Pawar said, when asked about the negative remarks by the finance department headed by him on populist schemes announced by the state government ahead of the assembly elections, likely to be announced in less than a week.

The seat-sharing talks among the Mahayuti alliance partners were going on smoothly, Pawar said.

“We will announce (outcome of the talks) when we feel like it,” he said to a question.

Asked whether he would be contesting from his current Baramati assembly seat, Pawar gave no definite reply.

“Seat-sharing is yet to be done. After the Baramati seat is allotted to us, we will take a decision,” he added.

Notably, his wife Sunetra Pawar was defeated by his estranged cousin and NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) faction leader Supriya Sule from the Baramati Lok Sabha seat this year.

Sayaji Shinde would be the NCP’s star campaigner in the elections, Pawar said, adding, “More people are slated to join us and it will happen in phases.”

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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)