BJP Will Take Credit Of Work Done By Us, Claims Uddhav Thackeray Faction

The Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday said a majority of the projects which will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were planned and taken forward when the party controlled the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

In an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana', the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena said on one hand, the Bharatiya Janta Party will take the credit of the work done by the Shiv Sena and on the other hand it is resorting to defaming the party by initiating a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) inquiry (in to civic projects).

This is double standards, the 'Saamana' editorial alleged.

"The projects that will be inaugurated by the prime minister are mostly those that have moved forward when the Shiv Sena was in power in the BMC," the editorial claimed.

Citing examples, the editorial said the super speciality hospital in the north east suburb of Bhandup, the foundation stone of which will be laid by the PM, was the one promised in the Shiv Sena in its manifesto earlier and Rs 150 crore was allocated for the work in 2017.

The sewage treatment plant plans have been in the works for the last 10-12 years, and a work order was issued by the civic body after necessary permissions were obtained from the Centre and through legal battles in the Supreme Court, it said.

"The question is not of credit, but it is of misleading people, the 'Saamana' editorial claimed.

PM Modi will inaugurate and lay foundation stones of projects worth more than Rs 38,000 crore aimed at developing infrastructure, easing urban travel, and strengthening healthcare in Mumbai.

He will dedicate to the nation Mumbai Metro Rail Lines 2A and 7, worth around Rs 12,600 crore, and will also travel some distance on the new route.

He will also lay the foundation stones for seven sewage treatment plants, a road concretisation project, and redevelopment of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus at a function to be held on the MMRDA grounds in the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC).

The Uddhav Thackeray faction also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre of working to reduce the economic importance of Mumbai.

It (Centre) took away projects worth Rs 2.25 lakh crore, which is an attack on Mumbai, the editorial alleged.

Taking a swipe at state government advertisements claiming the PM's visit to inaugurate projects and set the ball rolling on others was for a bright future of the metropolis, the editorial asked "from when has the Bharatiya Janta Party started feeling concerned about Mumbai's future and its betterment".

The Shiv Sena (UBT) said Mumbai's betterment was a result of the toil of the "Marathi manoos", while the edifices of "Dillishwar" (powers-that-be in Delhi) have been built on that "loot".

"So the campaign that the PM's visit is for the bright future of Mumbai is false" as PM Modi is coming to canvas for the BJP, the editorial said.

Civic body polls are due in several corporations in the state, including that of Mumbai.

The Shiv Sena has controlled the BMC for several decades. The party split in June last year into the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena factions following the rebellion by Eknath Shinde.

Mr Shinde is heading the government in the state with the support of the BJP.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)