Milind Deora, the Congress candidate for the Mumbai South constituency, on Friday said he will go to the extent of resigning from MP’s post if he fails to fulfil the aspirations of Mumbai Port Trust (MbPT) land users, after being elected.
Mr. Deora held a meeting with the MbPT Land Users’ Action Committee on Friday at Darukhana. The meeting was attended by residents, traders, and suppliers from Colaba to Wadala, who are affected by the excessive amount levied on them as dues.
“Darukhana is our karmabhoomi and Mumbai is our janmabhoomi. We want to see how tenant protection Act from the Congress manifesto is going to benefit us,” said Ashok Kumar Garg, member of Darukhana Iron Steel and Scrap Merchants Association.
Mr. Deora said, “The people present here deserve justice. I guarantee, if I become an MP and my party comes to power at the Centre, I will provide security to the traders and residents. If the Centre refuses to assist me in delivering on my promise, I will resign from the party,” he said.
Meher Sanjana from Colaba said, “We have lots of expectations from Mr. Deora because we don’t want to be shifted out of our residential places where we’ve been staying for so many years.”
“It’s been 15 years since I started this fight. Development might be taking place but old traders and suppliers are losing their structures, on which businesses are built, to the MbPT despite paying rent,” Pramod Pawle, chairman, Sea Food Suppliers’ Association, said.
Later in the day, Mr. Deora met Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport Undertaking workers and promised to provide permanent houses to them if he was elected.
Mr. Deora interacted with employees and their family members, who spoke about their grievances regarding delayed salaries, increments, and health problems.