Nagpur: Rajya Sabha MP Imran Pratapgarhi claimed that the BJP's "Batenge to Katenge" slogan has lost its appeal, with even Mahayuti leaders are expressing doubts about its effectiveness.
Speaking to reporters at Nagpur airport, Pratapgarhi said prominent leaders such as Ajit Pawar, Pankaja Munde, and Ashok Chavan—recently inducted into the BJP—have publicly distanced themselves from the catchphrase.
Pratapgarhi, on his way to a rally in Amravati, accused the BJP-led Mahayuti of lacking clarity on its chief ministerial candidate. "Even deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis has declared he is not in the race," he said, emphasizing that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) would democratically decide its CM candidate post-elections.
Criticizing the Mahayuti's flagship schemes, Pratapgarhi took a dig at the Ladki Bahin initiative, alleging that it was an attempt to woo voters with meager handouts. "They once promised Rs15 lakh to everyone but are now offering just Rs1,500. In contrast, the MVA plans to provide Rs3,000 as a dole, free travel in state buses, and a Rs25 lakh health cover," he stated.
Highlighting dissatisfaction among farmers and industrialists, he blamed the BJP for Maharashtra losing major projects like Foxconn and Airbus to other states. "The people of Maharashtra, inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji's legacy, cannot be controlled by Delhi politics," Pratapgarhi asserted.
On Home Minister Amit Shah's recent claim that Congress would grant reservations to Muslims at the cost of others, Pratapgarhi clarified that his party has no intention of infringing on anyone's rights.
The MVA leader concluded by stressing that Maharashtra's citizens are disillusioned with the BJP's politics of division and are ready for a change.