Nagpur, Sep 6 (IANS): Maharashtra unit BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Friday accused the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) of hatching a conspiracy to create unrest and spread fake narratives at a time when the state has been scaling a new height of development during the MahaYuti government.

"MVA has nothing to do with Maharashtra and the self-respect of Marathi people. The Congress leadership, which has repeatedly insulted Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has no right to even mention his name,’’ he said.

Bawankule alleged that the MVA and Congress have always played low level politics on the name Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

"Will Rahul Gandhi apologise for the insult by the Congress party of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj? Will he show the fortitude to clarify his position on these incidents? India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru in his book 'Discovery of India', referred to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as a 'robber king'. When Kamal Nath of Congress was the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the statue of Shivaji Maharaj was removed. The constituents of MVA seek 'evidence' from Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendants," he said.

He reiterated that the Congress and the MVA are plotting to create unrest in the state by doing dirty politics over the fall of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj statue.

Referring to the Leader of the Opposition and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi should apologise not just to Shivaji Maharaj but to every person of Maharashtra, Bawankule claimed that Rahul Gandhi has once again started the business of spreading false narratives with Maharashtra assembly election in sight.

"In the Congress manifesto for the Lok Sabha election, it was promised that they would deposit Rs 8,500 in the bank accounts of the women if they elected the Congress party nominees. Will Rahul Gandhi apologise to the mothers and sisters of Maharashtra for not fulfilling this promise?" he asked.

Bawankule claimed that the schemes like Ladki Bahin have been closed in the Congress-ruled Karnataka and Telangana.

"It is because of the success of the Ladki Bahin scheme in Maharashtra, the MVA leaders are shaken up, and they are spreading lies and fake narratives," he charged.

Meanwhile, Bawankule on Friday announced that the state BJP, in a bid to gear up Assembly poll campaign and for the victory of MahaYuti alliance, has set up a team of 21 leaders.

He said that under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the party’s state and central ministers will spare time for poll campaigning.

He also expressed confidence about the party's victory in the upcoming Assembly polls as "lessons from the Lok Sabha elections have been learnt".