Mumbai: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena backed the Shiv Sena in Kalyan-Dombivli civic body only for development and the BJP will also be part of this formation, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Friday, January 23.
Addressing a news conference, Shinde said the BJP-Shiv Sena will not stay apart despite being in power.
He said barring a few municipal corporations, all will have a Mahayuti mayor.
“The MNS backed Shiv Sena for development. It was with us during the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha (polls). They have only backed us for development,” Shinde said.
He said MNS president Raj Thackeray has always seen a larger interest than his personal gain.
He also backed PM Modi in the Lok Sabha polls and on the issue of development in Vidhan Sabha, Shinde added.
He values the opinions of party workers, Shinde said.
“We will respect the MNS and realise their agenda of developing their wards,” Shinde said.
The MNS joining hands with the Shiv Sena had created a flutter in their respective civic poll allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and BJP.
In the January 15 polls for the 122-member KDMC, the Shiv Sena won 53 seats, followed by 50 by the BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT)-11, Congress-two, MNS-five and NCP (SP)-one.
Taking a dig at the Shiv Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance, Shinde said polls have shown who benefited and who suffered loss in the municipal corporation polls.
“Those who do not have majority are saying the mayor should be theirs. Wrong to dream that,” said Shinde in a swipe at the opposition.
Shinde, the state’s Urban Development Minister, also dismissed allegations by the Shiv Sena (UBT) that draws to determine reservation for mayor posts in 29 civic bodies were fixed.
Asserting the draw was carried out as per law, Shinde said the Shiv Sena (UBT) should approach courts if it has any issue with the process.
At the press conference, Shinde also announced several public welfare initiatives, including ‘ Arogya Aplya Daari (Healthcare at Your Doorstep)’, Fort Cleanliness Campaign, and the ‘Hinduhridayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Urban Public Welfare Campaign’ to mark the centenary birth anniversary year of the Shiv Sena founder.
The ‘Balasaheb Thackeray Arogya Aplya Daari (Healthcare at Your Doorstep)’ campaign will be launched by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), under which door-to-door health check-ups will be conducted, he said.
The campaign will begin in Mumbai and will be later extended across the rest of Maharashtra, the Deputy CM said.
He further said patients in BMC hospitals will be provided zero-prescription and cashless medical facilities.
The ‘Hinduhridayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Urban Public Welfare Campaign’ will be implemented across the state through Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Shinde informed.
RO water filters will be installed at forts, and a plastic-free forts initiative will be undertaken, he said, adding the campaign will commence with the 11 forts included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.
Devotees of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and participating organizations will be provided an honorarium of Rs1 lakh for their participation, Shinde said.
Additionally, 10,000 girl students will be trained in self-defence. To fulfil Bal Thackeray’s dream of a slum-free Mumbai, work has already begun through agencies such as MHADA, CIDCO, and MMRDA, Shinde said.
The government aims to provide permanent housing to 4 million Mumbai residents, he asserted.
The ‘Hinduhridayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Urban Public Welfare Campaign’ will be implemented in 29 municipal corporations and 394 municipal councils across the state, Shinde said.
“Under this initiative, municipal councils will receive Rs 1 crore each, while municipal corporations will receive Rs 3 crore each. A total provision of Rs 539 crore has been made by the Urban Development Department for this purpose,” the Deputy CM informed.
