Mumbai: Opposition bloc protests against BMC; Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders stay away

Congress city president Varsha Gaikwad during the protest on Wednesday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

The I.N.D.I.A bloc leaders protested against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Mumbai on Wednesday. However, Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders stayed away from the protest. Other opposition party leaders participated in the protest. Congress claimed that UBT party workers were present. The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has decided to conduct district-level meetings with alliance party workers for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections to maintain coordination between both party workers. "These meetings are aimed at creating understanding among party workers," said an MVA leader.

The MVA is trying to foster understanding among different party workers in Mumbai. Congress Mumbai President, Varsha Gaikwad, expressed concern over biased decisions in BMC since the appointment of an administrator. "Opposition MLAs and MPs are not getting funds for civic work in their constituencies," Gaikwad said. She confirmed that Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders did not participate in the morcha but stated, "UBT leaders Aaditya Thackeray and Sachin Ahir are not in the city. I had spoken with them, but Shiv Sena (UBT) party workers participated in the morcha," Gaikwad added.

Furthermore, BMC has decided to scrap the Swacha Mumbai Prabodhan scheme, replacing thousands of poor volunteers with one contractor. "BMC is spending around R1,200 crore for the work," Gaikwad said, calling it a huge scam. Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar faction leader Rakhi Jadhav criticised unilateral decision-making in BMC, saying, "As a result, citizens living in the constituencies of opposition party MLAs and MPs are being unfairly treated."

Varsha Gaikwad claimed, "We were not allowed to meet civic chief I S Chahal. All gates of the BMC headquarters were closed. We requested a police officer to allow our delegation to meet the civic chief, but we were denied access." "I was attending the India Global Forum annual investment summit this morning, which was pre-scheduled," civic chief I S Chahal said. "They have informed me 24 hours before about the morcha," Chahal added.

Rs 1.2 cr
Cost of Swacha Mumbai Prabodhan scheme