MP Elections 2023: Finance Minister Sitharaman Campaigns In Indore, Hails ‘Ladli Behna Yojana’

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman criticized Congress in Indore on Friday, asserting that it failed to implement 51 central welfare schemes during Kamal Nath's tenure.

Sitharaman, campaigning for the BJP in Indore, questioned the Congress's commitment to farmers, highlighting non-compliance with PM KISAN Yojana requirements. She urged voters to choose the BJP, expressing mistrust in Congress promises, citing historical letdowns to farmers.

Sitharaman defended BJP schemes like Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana, emphasizing their budgetary inclusion and discussion in the state assembly. Madhya Pradesh, part of the upcoming one-phase elections on November 17, will witness vote counting on December 3 across 230 Assembly constituencies. She said, "The Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna Yojana wasn't the inaugural initiative; prior to this, schemes like Ladli Lakshmi Yojana and Sambal Yojana were in place. It's not merely a giveaway; its inclusion is documented in the budget and deliberated upon in the state assembly."

The 2018 Congress government saw a shift in 2020, with Jyotiraditya Scindia's defection leading to the BJP's return and Shivraj Singh Chouhan's reinstatement as chief minister.