Cracks in Mahayuti as Sena protests NCP dropping CM's name from scheme ads

Fissures have emerged in Maharashtra's ruling Mahayuti over the 'Ladki Bahin Yojana' with a Shiv Sena minister raising objection against ally NCP and its president Ajit Pawar for "omitting" Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's name from advertisements and promotional material of the scheme.

Speaking to reporters here on Friday, state Excise Minister Shambhuraj Desai, who belongs to the Shiv Sena led by CM Shinde, expressed disappointment over the Deputy CM Pawar virtually "hijacking" the 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin' scheme, which offers a financial assistance of Rs 1,500 per month to eligible women in the state.

He said not using the full name of the scheme during his (Pawar's) public outreach programmes was not as per the protocol. "The scheme has 'Chief Minister' in its name, and removing it from the scheme is inappropriate. It should not have been done," Desai alleged. "It is a state government scheme and he (Pawar) should have taken everyone along," the Excise Minister said.

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