In First Real Test Against Sena, BJP Opens Up Plans For Mumbai Election

Mumbai: Never in its history has Bombay's municipal corporation, with its eye-popping budget of 37,000-crores, been led by the BJP. Instead, the party has piggybacked its way to governing the corporation, which has 227 members, by allying with the Shiv Sena, which has held charge of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation or BMC for four consecutive terms or 20 years.

In the state government, their roles are reversed.  It is the BJP which is the anchor; Uddhav Thackeray's Sena is the junior partner.

After months of the Sena serving as the resident critic of the coalition, both at the state and the centre, chief Uddhav Thackeray announced weeks ago that his party will fight the Mumbai corporation election solo, and that no future collaborations with the BJP will be considered.And yet, Mr Thackeray has not yet opted to exit the state government, which means the parties remain messily entwined.

India's financial capital will vote on February 21 for the corporation, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is leading the BJP's campaign, not least because the result will be seen as a test of his popularity half-way into his term. Yesterday, he met a group of people from across the state in an event that was live-streamed by his team and dubbed as the climax of a 10-day exercise in "crowd-sourcing" the BJP's manifesto.

The 46-year-old Chief Minister revealed that mission statement today. Fighting corruption gets pride of place with the BJP promising Mumbai a Lokayukta or an ombudsman; also, corporators, officials and contractors for public works will have to disclose their income every year to guard against public offices being abused in collusion for personal gain. The Corporation, with its ginormous budget, is entangled in corruption scandals, including an alleged scam of 350 crores that allowed sub-standard new roads to be constructed with officials and quality control inspectors being bribed to look the other way. 

Mr Fadnavis has also promised free wi-fi in large public spaces and a five-year deadline to get rid of all potholes which cause a significant number of accidents every year, particularly in the monsoon.  More than one pregnant woman has gone into labour on account of the craters.

To counter the BJP's "people's Manifesto", the Shiv Sena unveiled its latest political strategy. Hardik Patel, the 23-year-old who is rallying his powerful Patel community against the BJP in Gujarat, will campaign for the Sena to win over the 17 per cent Gujarati voters in Mumbai.

"Our friendship with Hardik Patel will be lasting. Until the other person breaks relations with us, we do not leave their side," said Mr Thackeray.