Maha: Shiv Sena UBT likely to contest BMC polls under Aaditya Thackeray
Mumbai, Dec 16
Shiv Sena UBT on Tuesday has dropped hints that the party will contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections under the leadership of party leader and former minister Aaditya Thackeray by taking a generational shift.
Aaditya on Tuesday delivered his first solo speech in front of the party's office bearers, highlighting the party's achievements in the BMC.
He also asked the party workers to reach out to the voters by taking up a slew of works carried out in Mumbai during the party’s rule in BMC.
At the party office bearers' meeting in Worli, Aaditya Thackeray gave a presentation on BMC, which is seen as the party's launch of the campaign.
"It is time to stop the vote chor, note chor, and credit chor. It is time to stop those who have destroyed Mumbai. It is time to claim credit for things we have done. We are here to keep Mumbai for Mumbaikars," he said.
Announcing “Karun Dakhvala, te Abhimanane Sanguya†(We did it, let's tell this with pride) will be the party's theme for this election. He made a presentation showcasing achievements in BMC since 1997, when it first came to power.
"We have taken the BMC from a Rs 650 crore deficit in 1997 to Rs 92000 crore fixed deposits in 2022," Aaditya Thackeray said, recalling BMC's achievements in education, health, transport and water supply sectors.
He called all the previous mayors of Mumbai on stage as a token of gratitude towards the work they have done in the city.
Commenting on the road construction in Mumbai, Aaditya Thackeray said that Mumbai's roads are in condition like this condition because no work was undertaken and nothing is being done under the administrator.
"I am telling you all about this because these are our achievements, and we must tell the people with pride. We have to speak about it aloud," he said.
Aaditya Thackeray repeatedly claimed credit for the developmental projects, such as coastal road and asked the attendees to counter claims of the BJP to take credit for the project.
Showing pictures from the time when the project took off, Thackeray said, "Do you see Fadnavis in this photo? Maybe he is hiding somewhere."
— IANS
Reader Comments
"We did it, let's tell this with pride" is a powerful slogan. But as a Mumbaikar, I need to see more than presentations. The roads are terrible, and the monsoon chaos repeats every year. Credit for past work is fine, but what's the concrete plan for the future? 🤔
Good to see the young leader taking charge. His speech had fire. Calling out the "vote chor" and "credit chor" directly shows they are ready for a fight. The BMC election is crucial for Mumbai's development.
The focus on education and health infrastructure in BMC schools and hospitals is very important for the common citizen. Hope this isn't just election talk. We need sustainable improvements, not just claims.
Interesting political dynamics. The direct challenge to BJP's claims on projects like the coastal road shows the battle lines are drawn. Mumbai's civic body has a huge budget; transparency in how it's used should be the real issue.
Respectfully, the presentation of achievements since 1997 is good, but Mumbai has changed. New challenges like climate resilience, affordable housing, and public transport integration need bold new ideas. Hope the young leadership delivers that. All the best to him!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.