Latur | NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday attacked Maharashtra’s BJP-led Mahayuti, saying a coalition that has no grasp of agriculture and lacks concerns for the educated unemployed has no right to remain in power.

Farmers in the state are being neglected, while key projects are being diverted to Gujarat, he said at a campaign rally for the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in Udgir in Latur district.

Pawar's party has fielded Sudhakar Bhalero against Sanjay Bansode of rival NCP, headed by his politically estranged nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, for the November 20 assembly elections.

The NCP (SP) chief said Maharashtra once led in soybean and cotton production, but local farmers suffered immense losses after the BJP-led Centre started importing soybean derivatives. This policy has broken the backbone of farmers, he said.

The export ban on sugar, onions and soybeans is only weakening the agricultural sector in the state, said the former Union agriculture minister.

“The Centre even permitted the import of agro products that could have been sourced locally, further harming Maharashtra’s soybean producers. Such farmer-unfriendly policies highlight the government’s disregard for farmers. This is why these leaders should not be in power,” Pawar said.

The Mahayuti consists of BJP, Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde and NCP, while MVA comprises NCP (SP), Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) headed by Uddhav Thackeray.

He also slammed the government over “rising crimes, inflation and injustices against women”. “Instances like ruling party MLAs openly threatening people with violence in police stations raise concerns over law and order. What is this government doing,” he asked.

Maharashtra is being stripped of its industries and businesses are being diverted to Gujarat, he said. “Do we have the prime minister for the entire nation or just one state,” he asked, adding that Maharashtra, once the leading state in the country, has now dropped to sixth place due to joblessness and poor handling of farmers’ issues.

He urged people to vote wisely in the upcoming polls and asked them to be aware of misleading promises.

Pawar said the present government dismantled thriving enterprises started by the Congress for the welfare of rural communities, citing the examples of state-run dairy projects and a milk powder plant in Udgir, which he said provided alternative income to farmers and achieved global acclaim.

Instead of supporting such initiatives, the current regime shut them down and reduced them to scrap, he added.