‘We Have Good Chance Of Returning To Power’: Milind Deora On Mahayuti’s Performance In Maharashtra Polls – News18
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Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora speaks at the CNN-News18 Town Hall event in Mumbai on September 27. (Image: News18)
Speaking at the CNN-News18 Town Hall, Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora responded to questions on the “real Shiv Sena”. He said ECI backs Eknath Shinde camp, but electorate will decide who it favours in the upcoming assembly elections
Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Friday said the ruling Mahayuti alliance — BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP — is confident of returning to power in Maharashtra in the upcoming assembly elections. He slammed the opposition for creating obstruction in the progress of the state as well as its capital Mumbai.
Speaking at the CNN-News18 Town Hall event, Deora also responded to questions on the “real Shiv Sena” – the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the other by his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray. He said the Election Commission of India backs the Shinde camp, but the electorate will decide who it favours in the elections ahead.
“Who is the real Sena is something that the strike rate of both the parties defines. What will happen at the assembly elections, is left to the electorate. What’s most important is how we take Maharashtra and Mumbai forward,” he said during the event in Mumbai, when asked about which Sena faction is the real legacy-keeper of the historic party.
“Politically in 2019, Maharashtra voted for NDA, it was the UBT (Uddhav Thackeray) faction that insulted the verdict of people and took a U-turn. Things will be laid to rest in these elections,” he said. “Talk is cheap, action very difficult to implement; they had two years, but nothing happened. So, we have a very good chance of coming back to power.”
‘UBT Sena used BMC as an ATM’
Deora further spoke about what can be done to transform Mumbai and Maharashtra. He said as a “Mumbaikar”, he is passionate about his city and is excited by the transformation it undergoing. “My own personal journey has been extraordinary; in our state, country, even world in fact, there are ideological divides. But, my father always told me that more than ideology, trust ideas. Projects I have been trying to push through, since a decade or so ago, are taking shape now,” he said.
On major incidents of civic infrastructure collapse in Mumbai – like the billboard collapse that claimed 14 lives — he said the UBT Sena used the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) “as an ATM” for 30 years.
“For 25 to 30 years, Uddhav Thackeray Sena used the BMC (largest corporation in the world) as an ATM. I’m not saying it’s perfect now, but it cannot change in one year. But, people are talking about the roads now and, during the monsoon, the pothole debate has also reduced,” he said.
He further said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) spends 2 per cent of its annual budget on repairing Mumbai’s roads, which is an indication of corruption. “We have tried to break this contractor-politician nexus. It will take time to unravel this, to carry out the reforms needed,” he added.
Asked about why the BMC elections were still pending, the Rajya Sabha MP said the EC is responsible for calling the local body polls. “The next election, not just in Mumbai, but also Maharashtra will be the civic body elections. For six months, when the MVA was in power, it did not call an election. It was pending before the Supreme Court due to the OBC quota issue. But, we’re ready now,” he said.
He said the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) is set to expand, and will be the economic as well as social growth driver for not only Maharashtra but India; especially in the light of some big projects coming up – Atal Setu, coastal road, Phase II Metro, and now the Dharavi redevelopment project.
“Metro was delayed due to a young man’s ego. If you’re in power or in opposition and deliberately delaying projects, how will it work? By opposing developments, you are hurting Mumbai,” he added.