)
Former allies and now estranged partners, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena on Friday issued their party manifestos, ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections next week.
The Sena’s vachan nama, issued by party president Uddhav Thackeray, for a change focused on development issues rather than emotive ones such as Marathi Manoos and Mi Maharashtrian.
The party has expressed its resolve to expedite infrastructure development in Mumbai through a slew of projects including a coastal road, freeing of Mumbai Port Trust land, development of the city’s eastern coast and completion of the Navi Mumbai airport well within the stipulated period. The Shiv Sena has also promised beautification of Mumbai and its beaches.
The Sena has also promised development of Maharashtra as a business and agriculture hub, free computer tablets, virtual classrooms as well as modern health facilities across the state.
On the other hand, the BJP in its poll manifesto, which was released by the party's vice president Vinay Sahasrabudhe here on Friday, has refrained from supporting separate statehood for the Vidarbha region.
The BJP has promised reduction in petrol and diesel prices, a 50 per cent grant for the drip irrigation scheme, a welfare scheme for sugarcane farmers and formation of a special authority for development of information technology. This apart, BJP has assured a security scheme for aged farmers and a pension scheme for women. The party also proposes to empower Marathi-medium schools financially.
