"Some people are coming today to seek investments," Uddhav Thackeray said today (File)
Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath will spend a day in Mumbai on Wednesday and is likely to meet industrialists and Bollywood personalities, seeking investment in his state - a move that may not have gone down too well with his Maharashtra counterpart, Uddhav Thackeray.
Mr Adityanath, who will arrive in the city late this evening, is likely to ring the bell at the Lucknow Municipal Corporation bond's listing on BSE on Wednesday. He will later meet business leaders to encourage them to be part of the "Make in Uttar Pradesh" campaign.
A note by the UP Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner has said the Chief Minister will also meet the city's UP Development Forum business leaders. The BJP govt in Uttar Pradesh has been pushing for more investment in the state's micro, small, and medium enterprises sector.
Mr Adityanath had earlier spoken about his plans to build a film industry bigger than Bollywood in Uttar Pradesh. In that backdrop, his meeting with eminent film personalities in the city may be interesting.
In this context, a spokesperson for the Congress party, a part of the ruling coalition in Maharashtra, had alleged a conspiracy to shift Bollywood out of Mumbai, according to a PTI report.
Obliquely referring to Mr Adityanath's visit, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray today sounded out a sharp note, saying nobody will be allowed to "forcibly" take away business from his state.
"We are not jealous if someone progresses, we do not have any problem with someone's progress if one competes. But if you are going to forcibly take anything away, then of course, I won't let it happen and you (industrialists) will not be willing to go," Mr Thackeray said at an event organised by IMC, a small businesses-focused lobby group, according to PTI.
"Some people are coming today, they will also meet you all and ask you to come (for investments). But they do not know the magnetic strength (of Maharashtra), it is so powerful that forget people going from here to there, it should not so happen that somebody from there comes here," he said.
The Maharashtra Chief Minister had earlier warned against attempts to malign or finish off the film industry from Mumbai.