Mumbai, Aug 2 (PTI) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday said the ruling BJP-led alliance in Maharashtra faced losses in onion-growing regions of the state in the Lok Sabha polls as people there were upset over the export ban on the bulbous crop.
“It is your right and I don’t want to disrespect you. I am not blaming you. We fell short in lifting the onion export ban. The Mahayuti (ruling alliance of BJP, Shiv Sena and NCP) fell short and we bore the brunt,” Pawar said at a public meeting in Nashik district.
“You (voters) made us lose three seats in Nashik region, two seats in rural Ahmednagar, Pune and Solapur regions. Wherever onion grew, we faced defeat. We now realise this,” the NCP leader said.
The ruling Mahayuti performed poorly in the Lok Sabha polls, winning just 17 seats out of the total 48 in Maharashtra. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi had bagged 30 seats.
A crash in international prices and steep export duty had impacted onion export. The Centre had lifted the onion export ban in May, just days before polling in the state’s onion belt.
Pawar also criticised the opposition for claiming that various mega projects have been shifted out of Maharashtra.
The government spends Rs 2.75 lakh crore towards salary and pension of its employees, Pawar said. PTI VT VT
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