Two days before elections, residents of Maharashtra woke up to provocative political ads splashed on the front pages of prominent newspapers. 

In The Times of India and Indian Express today, the BJP’s Maharashtra wing had a full-page advertisement featuring headlines of events that had taken place under the Congress government. These included terror attacks like 26/11, the attack on sadhus in Palghar, “scams” and corruption issues. One headline was even about restrictions on major religious festivals in Mumbai during Covid. 

At the bottom of the ad was the letters MVA alongside the text “Say no to Congress”.

The last page of The Times of India also had an ad with the Mahayuti’s pet slogan – “ek hai toh safe hai” – with photos of leaders like Shivaji and Ambedkar. 

The MVA had a full-page ad too, this on the front page of Loksatta. It contained caricatures – Adani as a puppetmaster controlling Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, farmer suicides, corruption over a statue of Shivaji, Mahayuti leaders “gifting Rs 2 crore land” to “Ladka Mitra”. 

The logos of the Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) appeared at the bottom with the text “Elect the people’s government, vote for Maha Vikas Aghadi”.

So, another day, another full-page ad. Meanwhile, since election season began in Maharashtra, we’ve been on the ground, breaking important stories, interviewing key personalities, and speaking to everyday voters on their issues.

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