Mahayuti must answer how many locals recruited in Latur rail coach factory: Amit Deshmukh

Latur, Jan 18 (PTI) Ahead of the Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections in Maharashtra, MLA Amit Deshmukh said on Sunday that the ruling Mahayuti alliance must disclose how many locals have been recruited at the Latur rail coach factory.

In an interview with PTI, the Congress leader said since the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory has been established in Latur district, it should provide employment opportunities to local youth.

This issue will be raised during the campaign for the Zilla Parishad (ZP) and Panchayat Samiti elections, said the Latur MLA. “The BJP-led Mahayuti must tell people how many locals have been recruited at the rail coach factory,” he said.

Elections to 12 ZPs and 125 Panchayat Samitis in the state will be held on February 5, and counting of votes will be taken up on February 7, officials have said.

Asked if the comments of BJP state chief Ravindra Chavan were behind the Congress’ victory in the Latur civic polls, he said the credit should go to the people of the city. “Laturians are the real architects of our victory,” he said.

Chavan had said during the campaign that the memories of Amit Deshmukh’s father Vilasrao Deshmukh, a two-time chief minister and popular politician from the Marathwada region who died in 2012, would be “wiped out” from his hometown Latur.

The Congress secured 43 seats in the 70-member Latur civic body, followed by the BJP (22), Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (4) and the Nationalist Congress Party (1). Political observers believe Chavan’s remarks consolidated votes in favour of the Grand Old Party.

“Residents of Latur had experienced the BJP’s rule (in the past) in the civic body. Therefore, they went against the party in this corporation election. Congress and VBA (Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi) went to the people with a programme that received an overwhelming response from the voters,” said Deshmukh.

Talking about the preparation for the ZP and Panchayat Samiti polls, he said the Congress will contest all seats. PTI COR NR