Since splitting the Shiv Sena in 2022 and rising to the Chief Minister’s chair, Eknath Shinde has become a pillar of the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra. In the ongoing Assembly elections, he is at the forefront leading the fight against the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), which is reinvigorated after its strong showing in the Lok Sabha polls. Shinde appears confident that the Mahayuti government has taken enough course-correcting measures to win come November 23. In an interview with The Indian Express, Shinde speaks on the alliance’s campaign strategy, his government’s track record, and the challenge posed by the Opposition. Excerpts:

We are contesting the polls on development plank. But what Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji is saying is that we all should be united and he has not taken the name of any religion or caste. He said ‘Ek hain toh safe hain’, which means we should be united and contest by bringing all the communities together and increasing the voting percentage. The way Britishers would divide and rule, the Congress is doing the same and indulging in casteist and communal politics, creating walls among castes.

‘Ek hain toh safe hain’ means all should be united and take forward the state, and the Centre will support it. The reason behind saying this is because of what happened in the Lok Sabha polls. We saw low polling percentage, and so it is being done (the slogan being raised) to motivate the Mahayuti cadre.

Unity is important for development and to motivate cadre. We do not want a repetition of what we experienced during the Lok Sabha elections. As for agrarian issues, we have resolved the issue of soyabean. Under the Bhavantar Yojana, we will be paying the difference between the minimum support price and the market rate to farmers.

The fake narrative that the Modi government would change the Constitution and remove reservation led to that (the results). But now people know the reality. On the one hand, they speak about the Constitution and reservation, and on the other hand Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and speaks about abolishing reservations (the Congress leader had said the party could think of ending reservations only if the situation changes).

Yes. We started several development and welfare schemes that people are benefiting from. We have started schemes for sisters, brothers and farmers. We have not left out anyone as the government wants to do something for everyone.

He did not say to bring Fadnavis back, he said ensure the victory of Mahayuti and Fadnavis. And in another rally, he said we will contest the polls under the leadership of Eknath Shinde and post-poll we will decide about the CM’s position. Ensuring the victory of Fadnavis means as a candidate, as he is also contesting the polls.

There are no differences or problems between us. Our only target is to bring the Mahayuti government back.

We defeated them during the recently held Lok Sabha polls. Our strike rate was better and vote share increased. In the Lok Sabha polls, people have already proved which is the real Shiv Sena, and in this election, people will further prove it.

Iss chunav mein ab doodh ka doodh aur paani ka paani ho jayega (In this election, the truth will emerge) as people are going to vote for those who work. People need development and welfare schemes.

This very Opposition initially opposed the scheme and approached the court against it. But when they realised this scheme has become a superhit… they stole the scheme from our agenda. They have copied all the promises from our manifesto and pasted it in their manifesto.

We have already said that once the government is strengthened, we will give it (the increased instalments). And why should we not? There is good feedback. Women of poor families are getting help. Many women have started small businesses with this financial help. The government’s job is to give relief to the people.

We don’t make poll jumlas (gimmicks) like them. They make announcements in their manifesto but after coming to power they make a U-turn by saying it was a spelling mistake. We don’t do that. Hum chaadar dekh kar pair failane wale hain (we stay within our limits).

The government cannot be run by distributing money alone. We will not get into any competition on this. But helping the poor and bringing them into the mainstream is the job of the government. It is our task to bring them out of poverty and we will continue to do that.

In the Lok Sabha polls, there was a different situation. That has changed now. Welfare schemes like Ladki Bahin, free electricity to farmers, and the other works of the government have given relief to people.

The MVA scared minorities and Dalits by stating that if Modi ji comes back, then there would be problems for them. But still, 140 crore people stood behind Modi ji. Here, they (the MVA) created fear among Muslims voters and hence they voted for the Opposition. But we have not excluded Muslims from development or from the Ladki Bahin Yojana. Muslims are also getting the benefit of the schemes.

I think they will surely rethink and realise that the Congress has only used them as a vote bank. We don’t want to use Muslims as a vote bank.

We have given to the Maratha community what we had promised. We gave 10% reservation without touching the quota of other communities, such as OBCs, and formed the Justice (retd) Sandeep Shinde Committee for Kunbi certificates. So we will get the benefit (of Jarange-Patil withdrawing).

During Devendra ji’s tenure as CM (from 2014 to 2019), he gave reservation to Marathas and it was protected by us in the Bombay High Court. But the government changed (in 2019) and the MVA could not maintain it in the Supreme Court and it was their failure.

Now the community also thinks the government is making efforts for them. Earlier governments and Opposition leaders (of the MVA) only used the Marathas for vote bank politics for several years. They kept the Marathas deprived for their own political benefits. Now, the Marathas will also think about it.

Yes it is true. (The MVA) planned to jail four to five BJP leaders. If they would have been arrested, the BJP would have been broken and the MVA would have been strengthened. But I did not allow it to happen.