Mumbai: BJP demands fresh tenders for Deonar unit

MUMBAI: Two days after the Shiv Sena-led civic standing committee cleared the proposal to award the over Rs 1,000-crore Deonar waste-to-energy plant to the second-lowest bidder, the BJP, which had initially 'supported' the decision, opposed it on Thursday.
Senior BJP leaders, including city party president Mangal Prabhat Lodha, met civic chief Praveen Pardeshi and demanded that he relook into the cleared proposal as the BMC would lose Rs 174 crore if the contract to build the 600-tonne plant is awarded to Suez Project, the second-lowest bidder. They also submitted a letter signed by BJP group leader in BMC and MP Manoj Kotak. BJP corporator Prabhakar Shinde said: "We demand that the project be executed through public-private partnership to help save money or fresh tenders be invited. The BMC had tabled a faulty proposal before the panel."
On Tuesday, the contract was awarded to Suez Project instead of Chennai MSW, the lowest bidder. Sena and Congress corporators had alleged that the tender was rigged, but BJP corporators didn't raise objections. Standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav from Sena said, "The BJP had supported the proposal in Tuesday's meeting, I don't understand why they are opposing it now...it means the party doesn't trust its corporators..." When asked why the BJP had waited till Thursday to oppose the decision, party spokesperson Balchandra Shirsat said Wednesday was a public holiday.