In what could be construed as the beginning of a political slugfest ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls, Narayan Rane, Union Minister for Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises, on Thursday claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would win the civic body which is presently ruled by the Shiv Sena.
Mr. Rane kick-started his Jan Ashirwad Yatra in Mumbai after paying respects at the memorial of Sena founder late Bal Thackeray at Shivaji Park in Dadar, despite the party MP, Vinayak Raut, earlier opposing him as he was involved in breaking the Sena. Mr. Rane also visited Hindutva ideologue V.D. Savarkar’s memorial located nearby.
Mr. Rane, during his stint with the Sena, was the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He later exited the party to join the Congress. He again quit to form his own outfit and finally switched to the BJP in 2019.
“The BJP will win the BMC polls and end the sins committed over 32 years. The job to ensure victory is with all the BJP leaders, including myself,” he said.
When asked about Mr. Raut’s opposition to him visiting the memorial, Mr. Rane said people’s sentiments must be respected when it came to paying tributes.
Mr. Rane, who was included in the Union Cabinet last month, is being tasked by the BJP to take on the Sena during the civic polls. His yatra in Mumbai and adjoining areas and later in Konkan, a stronghold of the Sena, is seen as a show of strength by the BJP.
Political gatherings
Referring to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s comments about avoiding political gatherings in the times of pandemic, Mr. Rane said, “Those who have come to power through the back door shouldn’t preach to us. Seeing the response to the Jan Ashirwad Yatra, one must understand their days are numbered.”
Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis said that he respected the CM’s appeal but he should not preach only to the BJP. “He must also tell this to the Congress, NCP and even to his own party members,” said Mr. Fadnavis, who flagged off the yatra at the Mumbai airport.
At a public meeting in Kalanagar in Bandra (East), near the residence of Mr. Thackeray, Mr. Rane said, “In two years, the Maharashtra government has taken the State backwards. People of Mumbai will teach you a lesson in the forthcoming BMC polls. You shouldn’t speak things which you cannot fulfil.”
Purification ceremony
Meanwhile, in the evening, Sena workers visited the Thackeray memorial and conducted a purification ceremony with milk and cow urine, claiming that the site was contaminated following the visit by Mr. Rane.
Reacting to this, BJP MLA Ashish Shelar said that the Sena itself needed purification as it had joined hands with the Congress while Mr. Rane sarcastically told media persons that “it is the only work Mr. Thackeray has done as the CM”.
