06 March,2023 05:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Sameer Surve
Members of the BJP and the Shinde Sena start Ashirwad Yatra from Jambori Maidan in Worli, on Sunday. Pics/Shadab Khan
Members of the BJP and the Shinde Sena took out their first Ashirwad Yatra in the city on Sunday, with political observers seeing it as an outreach attempt of the alliance ahead of the civic polls. The parties, however, said the rally has nothing to do with the pending elections.
Sources told mid-day that with city beautification and road concretisation projects taking off, the ruling alliance has shifted their focus completely on the BMC election.
"After losing Kasba (Pune) by-election and barely winning Chinchwad by-poll, the BJP, it appears, has realised that the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) parties contesting polls together could pose a threat to the saffron party," political analyst Hemant Desai said.
"Moreover, the Mumbai cadre of Shiv Sena still stands with former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. The yatra appears to be an attempt by CM Eknath Shinde to show that he also belongs to Mumbai. This is an effort to make space for the Shinde Sena in Mumbai for the civic elections," Desai added.
"The yatra is the groundwork to create a stronghold in Mumbai in view of the civic elections. Shinde might have the support of MLAs and MPs, but the Shiv Sena, as an organisation, is still not with them," said Abhay Deshpande, a political analyst.
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The ruling alliance held the Ashirwad Yatra in the North East Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday morning, from Ghatkopar to Mulund. In the evening, the parties took out a rally in the South Mumbai constituency, from Worli to Mumbadevi.
Shinde, Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar and former BMC standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav were present at the Yatra.
"You can say this Yatra is for the civic election, but we just want to take the blessings of the voters and citizens of Mumbai," said Niranjan Shetty, spokesperson for the Mumbai BJP.
"During the Assembly polls, people had voted for the BJP-Shiv Sena (original) coalition. However, Thackeray broke the ties and formed the MVA. Now that the Shiv Sena [Shinde faction] is back with us, we are holding rallies to thank the voters of Mumbai," Shetty added.
Worli is the constituency of former minister Aaditya Thackeray, and has been the target of the BJP since it came to power in alliance with Shinde Sena last year. "The South Mumbai constituency starts from Worli. Also, Worli Naka has a history of various political events in the city," Shetty said.
