Congress Accuses Maharashtra Government of Favoring Adani Ahead of Elections
The Congress party on Tuesday, October 15, alleged that the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra is aware it will not return to power and is using its final days to grant favors to the Adani group at the expense of the people of Mumbai and the state.
In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge of communications Jairam Ramesh emphasized that the ruling coalition’s electoral future is grim, asserting that they are prioritizing the financial interests of Adani before facing the electorate. “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,” he remarked on X.
Ramesh outlined several alleged favors granted to the Adani group, stating: “On September 15, 2024, Modani won an energy contract to supply 6,600 MW of power to Maharashtra at inflated consumer prices. On September 30, 2024, 255 acres of ecologically fragile salt pan land were handed over to Modani. On October 10, 2024, 140 acres in Madh were granted to Modani, and on October 14, 2024, 124 acres from the Deonar landfill in Mumbai were transferred to Modani.”
The ruling Mahayuti alliance consists of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, the BJP, and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP, while the opposition MVA includes the Congress, the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP).
The Election Commission is set to announce the schedules for the Maharashtra and Jharkhand assembly polls. The current term for the Maharashtra assembly ends on November 26, while Jharkhand’s term concludes on January 5 next year.
The Congress party has intensified its criticism of the government since the Adani Group’s stock suffered after allegations from US-based short seller Hindenburg Research surfaced, accusing the conglomerate of fraudulent transactions and share-price manipulation. The Adani Group has refuted these claims, asserting that it complies with all applicable laws and disclosure requirements.
