Mumbai: A yr after he walked out of the Uddhav Thackeray-led celebration with 39 Shiv Sena MLAs, claiming to be the actual Sena, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has now set his sights on shoring up his recognition in Mumbai, which continues to stay a stronghold of the Thackerays.
Regardless of Shinde having been within the chief minister’s chair for an entire yr and his celebration being allotted the ‘Shiv Sena’ title and bow and arrow image by the Election Fee in February this yr, the Shinde-led Sena has been gradual in rolling out an organisational construction in Mumbai to rival that of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray).
Leaders of the Shinde-led celebration say it has a few hundred shakhas within the metropolis of Mumbai, in comparison with 227 of the Shiv Sena (UBT) — one in each municipal ward.
With elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC), the nation’s richest civic physique, more likely to be held later this yr, CM Shinde has hit the bottom operating. In addition to projecting himself as a chief minister who fast-tracks infrastructure initiatives and places the BMC’s funds to correct public use, Shinde has been taking over the Shiv Sena (UBT) with allegations of graft and official inquiries in a bid to broaden his recognition in Mumbai.
In line with political commentator Sanjay Jog, the BMC is the core point of interest for each factions of the Sena laying declare to Bal Thackeray’s legacy.
“Shinde has the city improvement division, Maharashtra State Highway Improvement Company (MSRDC), and Mumbai Metropolitan Area Improvement Authority (MMRDA) beneath him. If he desires to counter the BJP [an ally in the Shinde-led government], he feels the necessity to improve his (faction’s) presence within the BMC,” Jog informed ThePrint.
Talking on the Shiv Sena Basis Day perform at NESCO Goregaon Monday, Shinde stated, “Mumbai is altering. We now have determined to concretise roads, cash ought to move into correct palms and needs to be used for individuals’s work. Mumbai is getting cleaner and extra stunning.”
Shinde added that, together with Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis of the Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP), he had determined to concentrate on redevelopment initiatives in Mumbai to carry again the Marathi manoos (frequent man), who, he claimed, “left town” owing to former CM Uddhav Thackeray.
Responding to Shinde’s feedback, Anand Dubey, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson, informed ThePrint “Shinde is simply making an attempt to assist ‘Maha Shakti'(BJP). He doesn’t have a lot standing in Mumbai. If he has braveness, they need to take Mumbai company election inside a month. Individuals have given us [Thackeray-led Sena] mandate [in BMC] for final 25 years solely as a result of we’ve got labored. So if he tries to come back to Mumbai, we’ll face him.”
Additionally Learn: Tiffs with ally BJP, optical wins & ground-level cadre challenges — 1 yr of Shinde revolt
Shinde’s warning & ED searches
In the identical speech Monday, Shinde additionally warned the Thackerays that they must pay for the “fraud dedicated throughout Covid-19” — an obvious reference to the alleged multi-crore Covid jumbo centre rip-off.
On Wednesday, officers of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) searched no less than 15 premises linked to shut aides of Uddhav and his son Aaditya Thackeray in reference to the alleged rip-off. Amongst these beneath the scanner are Suraj Chavan, an in depth aide of Aaditya, and IAS officer Sanjeev Jaiswal — who was then extra municipal commissioner of the BMC.
In January this yr, the ED additionally recorded the assertion of BMC commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal in reference to the case.
The ED registered a case on this regard in January this yr on the premise of a police case filed in August final yr on a grievance by BJP’s Kirit Somaiya, alleging misappropriation of funds by the BMC in reference to funds made to Lifeline Hospital Administration Providers, which was contracted to arrange jumbo Covid centres in Mumbai through the pandemic.
Thought-about an in depth aide of Sena (UBT) chief Sanjay Raut, Sujit Patkar was among the many 4 companions of Lifeline Hospital Administration Providers named within the police FIR.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sachin Ahir has termed Wednesday’s raids as unlucky and puzzled whether or not the intention was to precise political revenge.
SIT probe into CAG findings
The searches by ED come two days after CM Shinde introduced {that a} particular investigation workforce (SIT) will probe the findings of the Comptroller and Auditor Normal of India (CAG) into contracts value Rs 12,000 crore awarded by the BMC between 28 November, 2019 and 31 October, 2022.
The CAG had in November final yr carried out a particular audit into contracts awarded by the civic physique on the request of the state authorities.
In line with the particular audit report, which ThePrint has accessed, it was noticed that the BMC awarded 20 contracts valued at Rs 214.48 crore throughout two departments (data expertise and roads) with out inviting tenders — amounting to a violation of provisions of the BMC’s Guide of Procurement.
In its report, the CAG additionally criticised the BMC for improper dealing with of funds, lack of transparency, and mismanagement in reference to the award of contracts associated to roads, waste administration, and different initiatives.
The report added that the tendering course of was additionally not adopted correctly, which resulted in tenders being awarded to contractors unfairly.
Reacting to the formation of an SIT to probe the findings of the CAG, Uddhav Thackeray Tuesday questioned the Shinde-led authorities’s intentions by saying that it was just like the “pot calling the kettle black”.
“We’ll take out a giant protest rally to BMC (headquarters) on 1 July in opposition to the misuse of funds by the Shinde administration,” he stated alleging misuse of “Rs 9,000 crore of the BMC’s FDs (mounted deposits)”.
Nationwide working president of the Nationalist Congress Get together (NCP), which is an ally of the Thackeray-led Sena (UBT), Supriya Sule too forged doubts on the Shinde authorities’s intentions.
“I’ve just one query for the CM. These (Shinde) making allegations now, have been within the MVA authorities for two-and-a-half years, why did they not bear in mind morality then? Now, after strolling out (of the alliance), they really feel that one thing is flawed,” she informed reporters Tuesday.
Shinde’s concentrate on Mumbai
Jog stated that Shinde’s actions could also be a part of a multi-pronged technique to tackle the Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) in Mumbai.
“He (Shinde) desires to point out the BJP that we’re collectively however that doesn’t imply you’re taking me without any consideration,” Jog stated, including that the chief minister additionally desires to venture himself as a person working for the event of Mumbai.
“Thirdly, he desires to ship a message that the BMC FDs are for the individuals of Mumbai and their improvement. I’m bringing that cash out after which focussing on infrastructure initiatives and in addition on the similar time, say that he has not give up Hindutva,” Jog informed ThePrint.
Over the previous few months, Shinde has made efforts to make sure that he’s personally seen taking inventory of infrastructure initiatives on the bottom.
To that impact, each milestone of the proposed Mumbai Trans Harbour Hyperlink (MTHL) is inaugurated as an occasion.
As well as, Shinde can be ensuring that the proposed Coastal Highway venture in Mumbai — which was Uddhav’s pet venture — is accomplished by the tip of this yr or early subsequent yr throughout his tenure as chief minister. Shinde has already introduced that the Coastal Highway will likely be named after Sambhaji, the son of Seventeenth-Century Maratha ruler Shivaji.
The chief minister was even current for a late-night inspection of the absolutely underground Colaba-Bandra-SEEPZ Metro’s line 3 final month, after which he addressed the media on the web site round 11.30 pm.
And never simply big-ticket infra initiatives, Shinde — who was until now seen as Sena’s level man in Thane — can be overseeing desilting of drains in Mumbai forward of the monsoons. In Might, he even stepped inside a drain to examine the BMC’s pre-monsoon preparedness.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
Additionally Learn: After ‘Shinde-over-Fadnavis’ advert, Sena in damage-control mode. New advert reveals CM & deputy as a workforce
