Maharashtra Assembly Polls: Congress built Maharashtra ‘brick by brick’, BJP let it slip, says Chidambaram

Congress MP P. Chidambaram addresses a press conference, in Mumbai on Saturday (November 16, 2024).
| Photo Credit: ANI

Former Union Minister P. Chidambaram criticised the current MahaYuti government in Maharashtra on Saturday (November 16, 2024), claiming that the state’s economy is in decline despite Congress having built it “brick by brick” to make it India’s leading State.

Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, the Congress’ senior leader highlighted the achievements of Maharashtra under Congress rule while pointing to a downturn in key sectors during the BJP-led administration.

Mr. Chidambaram noted that Maharashtra was once a leader in industry, services, and agriculture and remains India’s commercial capital. However, he expressed doubts about how long it would retain this status under the present government.

The senior leader stated that Congress had been out of power in Maharashtra for most of the last decade, except for the two-and-a-half years of Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rule. He attributed the state’s current economic troubles to the BJP and its allies in the ruling coalition.

“The decline is evident under the BJP government,” the former Union Finance Minister said, highlighting several economic indicators to support his claims. He pointed out that Western State’s GDP growth fell from 9.4% in 2022-23 to 7.6% in 2023-24, while the fiscal deficit rose from ₹67,000 crore to ₹1,12,000 crore. He added that agricultural growth plunged from 4.5% to 1.9%, and services sector growth dropped from 13% to 8.3%. Capital expenditure, he claimed, has stagnated at ₹85,000 crore.

“This decline has to be arrested, but it cannot be done by those who caused it,” he asserted.

Mr. Chidambaram also drew attention to Maharashtra’s unemployment crisis, calling it the state’s most pressing issue and claimed that the lack of jobs has led to broader social problems. “The current Government has failed to provide solutions. 10.8% of the state’s youth are unemployed, and nearly 47% are self-employed,” he said.

Citing examples of the state’s job crisis, Mr. Chidambaram said 11 lakh people applied for just 18,300 constable and driver posts in the Maharashtra and Mumbai police forces. Similarly, 11.5 lakh applications were received for 4,600 revenue official posts.