The BJP has decided to take the battle against the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray to the people’s court to allow them to determine the destiny of Mumbai in the BMC elections, deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said Saturday.
While exuding confidence of a grand victory in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, Fadnavis said, “BJP and the Shiv Sena faction led by Eknath Shinde will fight the BMC elections together as alliance partners.” Fadnavis was addressing BJP workers at a function organised by the party to felicitate newly-appointed Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar.
Fadnavis added, “Late Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray’s dreams for Mumbai and Mumbaikars will be fulfilled by us. Those who used his name to come to power never bothered because their sole concern was vested interests. We will take our battle against Thackeray’s Sena to the Mumbaikars’ court. It is for them to deliver the final verdict. It will be the people’s decision to decide the destiny of Mumbai.”
Outlining a roadmap for the economic capital of the country, Fadnavis said, “In the last 2.5 years of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, the Dharavi redevelopment project had come to a standstill. I assure that the Eknath Shinde-led government will address all hurdles in this project within three months to set in process the Dharavi redevelopment project which promises houses to its residents.”
The Rs 25,000-crore project has skipped many deadlines in the past. “Similarly, there are several such colonies near the airport and along the western suburbs which have come up on Central government’s land. Occupants of those areas will also have to be provided houses,” Fadnavis said.
Claiming corruption in BMC led by the Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena, Fadnavis said, “Mumbai and Mumbaikars’ welfare was never their concern. They used power to make money. Or else how does one explain their corruption even during the Covid-19 pandemic? They floated companies and assigned contracts to themselves for purchases, grossly violating all norms.”
He further said, “All the mega projects — Mumbai Trans Harbour, Coastal Road, Navi Mumbai Airport and the Metro Railway — were implemented during the BJP regime (2014-2019). The central leadership of BJP helped in giving quick clearances to fast track the projects which promises to transform the lives of its citizens.”
Evoking the name of late Bal Thackeray, Fadnavis said, “Mumbai makeover is our unwavering commitment. Our efforts to make the life of Mumbaikars better is our resolve and it will be done.”
On the BMC polls, Fadnavis said, “When the election draws near, they (Thackeray faction) will try to raise the pitch by bringing in an emotional angle. They will once again start a campaign and tell people how Mumbai will get divided from the rest of Maharashtra or say Marathi asmitha is in danger.”
He added, “I would like to make it clear. These issues have been used as handy tools against the BJP even in the past but to no avail. I can say with absolute certainty that there is nobody born yet who can dare break Mumbai from Maharashtra.”
On Shelar’s appointment, Fadnavis said, it was a conscious decision as he has been entrusted with the responsibility to pull a grand victory in the BMC polls. “Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj often chose his best soldier to lead a battle and in the similar fashion, our central leadership has reposed faith in Shelar’s ability,” Fadnavis said.
The former CM added, “Since Shelar is well versed with cricket, he knows how to play the 20:20 BMC match.”
First published on: 20-08-2022 at 05:42:59 pm
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