Mumbai, July 15: In a blistering attack on the ruling dispensation, Shiv Sena(UBT) on Wednesday alleged that Maharashtra’s economy has completely collapsed due to unprecedented institutional corruption. Citing a recent report by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG), the editorial claimed that the ruling alliance orchestrated a “State Capture” by illegally siphoning off Rs 3,541 crore from the state exchequer through the Ladki Bahin Yojana to purchase votes ahead of the Assembly elections.

The party in an editorial in its mouthpiece, ‘Saamana’, said the government initially launched the flagship welfare scheme — promising Rs 1,500 per month to women — with a total outlay of Rs 14,000 crore distributed to 2.43 crore beneficiaries. However, the subsequent CAG audit revealed that 92 lakh beneficiaries were completely bogus or ineligible. Among these discrepancies, “About 62 lakh individuals had not completed mandatory e-KYC verifications. Further, 29,000 men and 8,000 government employees were illegally enrolled and drew funds from the scheme,” said the editorial.

It further asserted that while the government has now unceremoniously dropped these 92 lakh ineligible names after winning the elections, the money was intentionally channelled into these accounts right before the Model Code of Conduct took effect to secure victory.

Drawing parallels to the post-Soviet collapse in Eastern Europe — where politicians and oligarchs colluded to control the state apparatus for personal gain — the Thackeray camp classified this scam as a textbook case of State Capture. “Spending Rs 3,541 crore from the public treasury to systematically purchase 30 to 35 lakh votes is not ordinary corruption. It is the outright purchasing of a state by manipulating laws, tenders, and public policies for political survival,” it noted.

The editorial sharply criticised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for crying foul and accusing the opposition of “defaming Maharashtra” whenever corruption is exposed. It noted that despite investigative reports exposing massive land scams linked to public figures, accountability remains completely absent.

The editorial has highlighted the stark double standard in how the state treats ordinary citizens versus political elites. It pointed out that while absconding businessmen like Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi, and Lalit Modi fled the country after defaulting on bank loans, poor farmers face immediate property seizures, and citizens have their electricity disconnected for missing simple bill payments. Yet, a government overseeing a Rs 3,541 crore fraud continues to rule with absolute impunity.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has demanded full financial accountability, stating that the responsibility does not end with merely purging bogus names from the recipient list. “Recover the stolen funds directly from the personal assets of the then-Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Ministers, the entire cabinet, and the senior bureaucrats (including the Chief Secretary, Finance Secretary, and Women & Child Development Secretary) who cleared the illegal payouts. Freeze and auction their personal movable and immovable properties to return the plundered money to the taxpayers,” it said.

The editorial pointed out a grim assessment of Maharashtra’s fiscal health amid rising public debt and depleting borrowing credibility. It flagged reports from the World Bank indicating a sharp decline in Maharashtra’s per capita income compared to other states.

By prioritising electoral bribes over fundamental governance, the editorial stated that the rulers have deprived legitimate distressed groups, including struggling farmers, students, widows, the underprivileged, and the disabled, of vital state aid. The Thackeray camp warned that such blatant financial indiscipline would permanently shatter the public’s trust in welfare schemes and social governance.