Bhayandar: In a major embarrassment for the local BJP unit, the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has mooted a proposal to recover the arrears towards ground rent for the recently held ‘CM Chashak’ (Chief Minister’s Trophy), by adding the pending amount to the property tax bills of the party’s city president Hemant Mhatre.
In an attempt to strike a chord with the younger populace, the state BJP leadership had directed all party legislators and district, city heads to organise the CM Cricket Trophy, a multi-sports event, in their respective constituencies. Responding positively to the directions, BJP’s local unit organised the sporting event for participants from the Mira-Bhayandar (145) assembly segment at the Netaji Subhashchandra Bose Municipal Stadium in Bhayandar in December 2018.
However, it has been alleged that the organisers installed stalls, banners and tents at the venue for nearly a month, but went on to pay the charges for only seven days. In response to complaints filed by social activist and RTI worker Krishna Gupta, the civic administration after much dilly-dallying issued notices to BJP’s city chief, tagged with a demand of Rs. 8,66,238.
“We have cleared all the dues for days on which the ground was used for the sporting events. Moreover it was not a commercial event. I have officially registered my say to the notice supported with actual facts,” said Mhatre. “The BJP has replied to the notice. We will now table the recovery proposal before the standing committee, following which appropriate action will be taken,” an official said.