Mumbai: Devendra Fadnavis launches BMC election campaign with resolve to win mayoral post

Newly appointed member of the BJP’s Central Election Commission and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday launched the party’s campaign for the upcoming BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections with a resolve to win the civic body and get BJP-Shiv Sena candidate elected to the mayoral post.

In his address at the workshop titled ‘’Fulfilment of Mission 2022, Fadnavis recalled when party legislator and newly appointed Mumbai unit chief Ashish Shelar was heading the party organisation and said the BJP made great strides in the 2017 elections. ‘’BJP, which had won a record 82 seats, could have won the mayoral election. But BJP took two steps back for its ally (Shiv Sena). However, in the upcoming elections the real Shiv Sena (Shinde camp)-BJP alliance will win the mayor’s post. The alliance is based on the thoughts of Shiv Sena supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray and the Shiv Sena-BJP combine will make every effort to unfurl saffron flag atop BMC and end corruption in the civic body,’’ he declared amid slogan shouting by the party workers.

Amid the ongoing cricket fever, Fadnavis said, ‘’Shelar, who is associated with various sports organisations, is also a cricketer and has been the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association. So he knows how to play 20-20 and win it. You are going to win this match (BMC elections). But we want to start Mumbai Vikas League in the BMC.’’ Without naming estranged ally, the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, Fadnavis told Shelar, ‘’There may be roadblocks. You have developed several football grounds and if football comes in between you know how to kick it.’’

Fadnavis said the BJP in the last election had jumped from 35 to 82 seats with double strike rate. ‘’This time round we have to break our own record and increase our tally. People are watching us,’’ he noted.

‘’We want to take the Mumbaikar’s case to the people’s court. I believe that the final judgement will come from the people’s court. We will complete the stalled development projects and fulfil the dream of the common man. We do not want to do marketing but we will remove all the bottlenecks in three months to kick start the redevelopment of Dharavi. The government is committed for getting Mumbaikars their rightful homes,’’ said Fadnavis. He added, ‘’At present, the tenants do not get tenants during redevelopment but they will get in henceforth as it will be mandatory for the developer to give rent to the tenants till redevelopment is complete.’’

Fadnavis lashed out at Thackeray-led Shiv Sena saying that the party will rake up the issue of a ploy to separate Mumbai from the country and also use the old dialogue of Mumbai will never bow down before Delhi. ‘’Mumbai will never bow before Delhi but in the larger interest of Mumbai and Mumbaikars the Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and myself will go to Delhi whenever it is needed to get the Centre’s approval for various projects,’’ he declared.

Fadnavis said nobody will break or separate Mumbai from Mumbai which is the financial capital of the country as there is a Constitution. ‘’However, a perception is being created ahead of elections. At least change the dialogue,’’ he told the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.