Mumbai, February 18 The Congress said on Wednesday that it will soon launch protests across Maharashtra over farmers' distress, jobs, and women's safety, accusing the BJP of playing politics in the name of development.
Addressing reporters after a party meeting, the Congress's Maharashtra in-charge Ramesh Chennithala said they would focus on strengthening the organization in the coming year by making appointments up to the village level and reinforcing its various units.
He alleged that the BJP governments at the Centre and in the state were indulging in politics in the name of development.
"Farmers' problems have worsened and (farmer) suicides have increased. Unemployment is rising, crimes against women are increasing and the law and order situation has become serious," he said.
The Congress would highlight these issues through protests and marches to hold the government accountable, he said.
Referring to the recently concluded local body elections, which the BJP and its Mahayuti allies swept, Chennithala accused them of misusing the administrative machinery and deploying large amounts of money.
"The ruling side has murdered democracy," he alleged, while claiming that Congress workers fought bravely despite adverse circumstances and achieved encouraging results.
He also criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging that investments were bypassing Maharashtra and moving to neighbouring Gujarat. "The chief minister has no time for development and is busy with politics and internal disputes," he said.
On the setback to the Congress in the Chandrapur mayoral election, Chennithala said that though the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) had initially sought his party's support, it backed the BJP at the last moment.
However, the Congress supported the Sena (UBT) in Parbhani to keep the BJP out of power, he said, adding there were no internal differences within the Congress in Chandrapur.
Earlier this month, the Congress suffered a major embarrassment after a surprise alliance between rivals Sena (UBT) and the BJP led to the election of a BJP mayor in Chandrapur.
Commenting on the January 28 plane crash in Baramati that claimed the lives of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Chennithala termed the incident "very unfortunate" and said the Centre should order a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) if the family had sought one.
When asked about the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, he said no one had yet approached the Congress, and a decision would be taken after consulting the party leadership when such a proposal is received.