Let's fight, BJP challenges Shiv Sena in Mission Mumbai

Devendra Fadnavis

The BJP has begun its 'Mission Mumbai' to win the municipal corporation in 2022. The party held a strategic meeting here on Wednesday, in which ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis challenged the Shiv Sena to use all its force to threaten the BJP, saying that "his party was all prepared to take on the Sena".

"Some people have their life in the BMC, but it won't be with them anymore after the 2022 elections," said Fadnavis. "We left the BMC for a friend in 2017 despite being in a position to take it from the Sena. But we will not repeat the mistake. We will oust them in 2022 the BMC which is infested with corruption and inefficiency," he added.

Referring to the proposed and under construction big-ticket projects in the city, the former CM said the Sena was stalling everything, thus repelling the investors. "This government is anti-development. The Mumbaikars want a metro, bullet train, and other projects. The poor slum-dwellers want homes. Instead of moving things forward, the government is creating a wrong perception (in the projects started by the previous government). Will Maharashtra attract investment in such a scenario," he added.

Other senior leaders from Mumbai including Narayan Rane briefed the BJP planners. Knowing his rivalry with CM Uddhav Thackeray, Rane will be a star campaigner, among others.

The BJP and Sena, then together in the state government, had contested the 2017 civic polls separately. The Sena finished number one followed very closely by the BJP. Fadnavis said the BJP could have made a government on its own but it let the Sena, a friend, remain in power in the body where it has been ruling for more than two decades. Mostly the Sena and BJP have had a pre-poll alliance for the BMC, but the future does not augur well for their reunion.

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