NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule on Friday criticised the Maharashtra government's 'Ladki Bahin' scheme, accusing it of commodifying the bond between sisters.
Speaking at an opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) meeting, Sule condemned the scheme introduced by the Eknath Shinde-led government.
The 'Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana' offers financial assistance of ₹1,500 per month to eligible women and will be formally launched on August 17 with the first payments transferred to beneficiaries.
"There is no money involved in the emotion of love. But the state government has linked the brother-sister relationship to electoral politics," Sule said.
"The Mahayuti government committed the sin of fixing a price for sisters' love." She added, "When money and relationships are mixed, the relationship does not remain intact any longer."
Sule's comments appeared aimed at Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, her estranged cousin, who left the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) founded by her father, Sharad Pawar, to join the Shinde-led government in July last year. Ajit Pawar and his loyalists joined the ruling alliance, causing a rift within the NCP.
Recalling her experience during the recent Lok Sabha elections, Sule said, "Since I was the most favourite sister, all attention was on me."
Ajit Pawar had fielded his wife, Sunetra Pawar, against Sule in the Baramati constituency, but Sunetra Pawar lost the election.
Sule assured that the MVA’s 31 MPs would work diligently to support their candidates in the upcoming assembly elections, expected in October or November this year.
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