The public dinner will be attended by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. (File Photo)
In a bid to connect with north Indian voters ahead of BMC elections slated next year, ruling BJP has organised a public dinner with a traditional menu at suburban Goregaon tonight which will be attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
BJP city unit, which has organised the function, said 5,000 invitations have been sent out for the function, to be held in the western suburb.
"We are elated to announce that our chief minister would be having quality time with the people of North India over 'Baati-Chokha' wherein he would interact with the intellectuals as well as commoners invited from all walks of life," BJP city unit president Ashish Shelar said today.
He said Mr Fadnavis will be first such chief minister who wanted to connect with commoners over a dinner with their traditional food.
While 'baati' consists of wheat and sattu (powdered roasted blackgrams) formed into balls with spices, and then dipped in ghee (clarified butter) 'chokha' is a dip prepared by mashing boiled potatoes, tomatoes and eggplant together with some spices.
It is no surprise that the BJP is aggressively trying to woo 'Uttar Bhartiyas' as they form 28 per cent vote share in country's financial capital. The outreach has another objective with forthcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, due next year.
BMC has been ruled by Shiv Sena, which plays its agenda of 'sons-of-soil' vs 'outsiders', with the BJP as a junior partner for over two decades.
On the choice of venue, as Shiv Sena recently held a function to mark its golden jubilee at the same spot, Mr Shelar said, "We are organising this programme at same place where one party had recently celebrated its 50 years without connecting with the commoner, but our case it different. Our all top leaders of state, including Fadnavis ji, would have a direct interaction with the invitees."
Mumbai BJP general secretary Amarjeet Mishra, who often organises such functions for North Indians, said, "the work that chief minister of Uttar Pradesh didn't and couldn't do here in Mumbai (to connect with the North Indians), is being done by Devendraji."
Mr Mishra, who recently organised a music festival dedicated to 'Kajri' form of singing which is popular in Northern belt, said, "Our CM is connecting with North Indians very fast and this was very much visible when he instantly donned 'gamachha' during a programme when he came to know that it was a typical a traditional cotton towel used in North India."