Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) on Monday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, alleging financial irregularities in BJP-organised youth rallies and systemic corruption in the state's school midday meal scheme. The broadside was delivered through an editorial in the party's mouthpiece, Saamana.

The Midday Meal Allegation

The editorial centred on the school nutrition programme in Ambegaon, Pune district, where children were reportedly served rock-hard dried peas that failed to soften even after 13 pressure cooker whistles. The Thackeray camp identified the supply contractor as a Nagpur-based businessman who, it alleged, shares close ties with CM Fadnavis.

'Supply contractors eat up millions by serving substandard food to school children, risking their lives... Moving forward, his peas of falsehood will certainly not cook,' the editorial stated. The party further alleged that the same contractor provided financial backing for the BJP's recent Gen Z youth outreach event held at Reshm Bagh Ground in Nagpur.

Youth Vote Battle and Rahul Gandhi's Pune Event

The editorial came amid intense political competition for the youth vote across Maharashtra. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recently hosted the 'Chatron Ki Goonj' event in Pune, drawing thousands of students. The Thackeray camp alleged that local authorities initially resisted granting police clearance for Gandhi's event before eventually issuing permission bound by 30 to 35 strict conditions. It further claimed that political agitators attempted to disrupt the event, while police filed cases against Congress workers instead.

'What is certain is that Gandhi has outsmarted the entire BJP, leaving them utterly paralysed. The youth are not merely angry with the BJP; they are enraged. They have lost interest in the repetitive speeches of PM Modi, HM Shah, and Fadnavis. People are tired of the same old promises, the intoxicating dose of Hindu-Muslim tension, startup rhetoric, and fake patriotism,' the editorial remarked.

Counter-Charge on BJP Event Spending

After CM Fadnavis described Rahul Gandhi's interactive sessions as 'paid publicity events' subject to state investigation, the Thackeray camp demanded that the BJP first audit its own event expenditures and contractor funding sources before initiating any probe.

Potholes, Unemployment and Broader Grievances

The Saamana editorial also accused the Fadnavis administration of ignoring a pothole crisis in Nashik, claiming that 12 people died after falling into potholes, of whom seven reportedly belonged to Gen Z. The party alleged that graduate unemployment was being systematically overlooked, with educated youth pushed towards low-tier employment while corruption in public contracts went unchecked.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction concluded that public discontent among Maharashtra's youth is reaching a tipping point, calling on CM Fadnavis to reflect on his administration's record before pursuing selective investigations into opposition events.