Maharashtra Assembly Elections 2024 | Mahayuti has spent its last few days bestowing gifts on Adani Group: Congress

'The Mahayuti’s electoral future is bleak, but before it loses power, it must safeguard Modani’s financial future,' said Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh

New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday claimed that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra knows it is not coming back to power and has spent its last few days allegedly bestowing "gifts" on the Adani group at the expense of the people of Mumbai and the state.

Ahead of the announcement of the Maharashtra Assembly polls schedule, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the instructions from the top are clear -- "the Mahayuti’s electoral future is bleak, but before it loses power, it must safeguard Modani’s financial future".

"The ECI is expected to announce the Maharashtra Assembly Elections today at 3:30 PM. A desperate Mahayuti knowing it is not coming back to power has spent its last few days bestowing gifts to Modani at the expense of the people of Mumbai and Maharashtra," Ramesh said in a post on X.

Listing the alleged favours to the conglomerate, Ramesh said, "September 15 2024: Modani wins energy contract to supply 6,600 MW power to Maharashtra at inflated consumer prices. September 30 2024: 255 acres of ecologically fragile salt pan land handed over to Modani.

"October 10 2024: 140 acres in Madh handed over to Modani. October 14 2024: 124 acres from the Deonar landfill in Mumbai handed over to Modani," Ramesh alleged.

The ruling Mahyuti alliance comprises Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, BJP and Ajit Pawar-led NCP while the opposition MVA comprises the Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).

The Election Commission (EC) will announce the schedule for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls on Tuesday. While the term of the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26, that of Jharkhand ends on January 5 next year.

The Congress has been persistent with its attack on the government since the Adani Group stocks took a beating on the bourses in the wake of US-based short seller Hindenburg Research making a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulation, on the conglomerate headed by industrialist Gautam Adani.

The Adani Group has dismissed the charges as lies, saying it complies with all laws and disclosure requirements.