Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Jan 19: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday questioned the shifting of corporators-elect of the ruling Shiv Sena faction to hotels in Mumbai, asserting that no party can easily stake claim to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) mayor’s post given the mandate in the recent civic polls.

In the elections to the 227-member BMC, the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 89 seats, followed by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 29 seats. The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 65 seats, while its ally Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) won six seats.

Soon after the results were declared, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena shifted its 29 newly elected corporators to a hotel in Mumbai, claiming it was for an orientation programme to familiarise them with the functioning of the country’s richest civic body. The move assumes significance as the BJP needs the support of the Shinde Sena corporators to cross the halfway mark and install a Mahayuti mayor.

Reacting to the development, Raut said, “Shinde has already shifted his corporators to a five-star hotel and, as per my information, the BJP is also planning to move its corporators to a safer place. Who is afraid of whom? You are the government. The chief minister is watching this while attending the World Economic Forum in Davos. It is amusing.”

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks that the BJP had defeated the Congress in Mumbai, Raut said the Prime Minister appeared to have ignored history. He pointed out that the undivided Shiv Sena had controlled the BMC for the last 25 years, while the Congress remained largely marginal in Mumbai politics.

The Rajya Sabha MP also recalled that the Congress was founded in Mumbai and that the Quit India movement was launched from the city during the freedom struggle, asserting that the BJP did not exist during those crucial phases of India’s political history.
Asked whether Shiv Sena (UBT) had decided to sit in the Opposition in the BMC, Raut said no such decision had been taken. “We are just watching the developments. We are enjoying the developments,” he quipped.

Taking a sarcastic swipe, Raut remarked that the grand welcome accorded to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Switzerland after the civic poll results made it appear as though he was on his way to becoming the Prime Minister, though he added that he would feel proud if a Marathi leader were to occupy the post someday.

Raut also dismissed speculation about any talks between Fadnavis and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray. He further alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde was attempting to engineer a split among BJP corporators in the neighbouring Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation and could try a similar move in Mumbai.

He claimed that Shinde had earlier split the Shiv Sena with the support of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and was now resorting to similar political manoeuvres.