Maharashtra polls: BJP omits promise of separate Vidarbha state from 'vision document'

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra BJP on Friday released its ‘vision document’ and a conspicuous omission from the list of promise was that of a separate Vidarbha state.

In the runup to the assembly polls, the BJP had promised a separate state of Vidarbha if voted to power, however, it seems the party has had a rethink after criticism from the Shiv Sena and MNS, who have alleged that the BJP wanted the state to be split. The BJP manifesto promises a bill against cow slaughter, like the one it passed in 1995 when the Shiv Sena-BJP was in power .

The party has claimed that it would reduce the prices of petrol and diesel by reducing the taxes levied on it. The party has borrowed a line from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign by saying that it will make Maharashtra the next manufacturing hub by starting the ‘Make in Maharashtra’ campaign to boost manufacturing in the state.

The saffron party has promised that it would eliminate load shedding in the state within one year by ‘eliminating corruption’ in power companies. Importantly, it also says that it will make it mandatory for power companies to run at their full installed capacity.

Maharashtra is currently facing a power crisis which is being blamed on the power companies operation quite below their installed capacity.