Mumbai, Oct 7 (Inditop.com) Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday asked the people of Maharashtra to vote for the Congress-National Congress Party (NCP) alliance and said “strong connections” with the central government would help it get the benefits of national growth.
“India could achieve nine percent growth because of some fast growing states like Maharashtra… Maharashtra also gained from the growth of the country as it became revenue surplus state in 2007-08. No one can say that Maharashtra has not gained in last five years because of its strong connection to the central government,” Chidambaram told reporters here.
Chidambaram, who was in Pune Tuesday, reached Mumbai Wednesday to campaign for the Congress party ahead of the assembly elections in the state Oct 13.
“I want Maharashtra to connect with the centre and the rest of India. The one way is to have a government here which is in sync with the government at the centre…. West Bengal and Orissa have suffered,” he said.
“These governments do not take kindly towards the central government. Therefore, they are unable to implement the plan of the centre and take benefits of growth,” said the home minister.
Chidambaram promised the people of Maharashtra that a state government in “consonance” with New Delhi would help in maintaining its position as a “premium industrial state” and Mumbai as the country’s “commercial capital”.
The capability building and the improved training that followed the Mumbai terror attack last year had made the city and the state much safer, he said.
“We are a stronger country today. Security systems are stronger and safer. We have built capability, recruited more policemen, given them better training, given them better equipment,” the home minister noted.
“Mumbai is also part of this capability building. Mumbai and Pune are much safer today than they were sometime ago. Security preparations will get better and better. Every day, every week and every month we are adding capability and improving training,” he added.
“I can assure people of Maharashtra that Mumbai and Maharashtra will be safer and safer,” the home minister emphasised.
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