Maharashtra polls: Amit Shah to release BJP's 'Sankalp Patra' on October 10

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch the Bharatiya Janata Party's Sankalp Patra (manifesto) for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Congress has already released its manifesto, promising five key guarantees for Maharashtra. These include -- Rs 3,000 per month to women and free bus travel for women and girls under Mahalakshmi Yojana, loan waiver of up to Rs 3 lakh to farmers and an incentive of Rs 50,000 for regular loan repayment, caste-wise census, removal of 50 per cent reservation limit and health insurance up to Rs 25 lakh and free medicines and assistance up to Rs 4000 per month to unemployed youth.

However, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, questioning the sincerity of Congress's manifesto promises.

"Congress has made such promises in many places like Karnataka, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, but later they say that there was a printing mistake and then they say that they do not have money. They ask for money from the Centre, these are liars and deceitful people, they are not trustworthy people. Rahul Gandhi said that they will give 'Khata Khat'. They did not do that but we gave Pat Pata pat," he said.

As the election date nears, political campaigning is gaining momentum in Maharashtra. The opposition MVA coalition, comprising Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (SCP), aims to reclaim power in the state, challenging the Mahayuti alliance, which includes Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and Ajit Pawar-led NCP.

One of the most closely watched contests will be in Baramati, where NCP leader Ajit Pawar is set to face his nephew, Yugendra Pawar. Yugendra is the son of Ajit Pawar's younger brother, Shrinivas Pawar.

Baramati was also a high-profile constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where Sunetra Pawar contested against Supriya Sule. The latter emerged victorious, winning by a margin of 1.5 lakh votes.

The Maharashtra Assembly elections will take place on November 20, with the counting of votes for all 288 constituencies set for November 23.

In the 2019 Maharashtra assembly elections, the BJP won 105 seats, Shiv Sena secured 56, and Congress 44. In 2014, the BJP won 122 seats, Shiv Sena 63, and Congress 42.