BMC polls: BJP and Shiv Sena are fighting to divert attention of voters: Raj Thackeray

Accusing the Shiv Sena and BJP for neglecting civic governance in Mumbai leading to urban decay, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said the public spats between the two estranged allies were meant to divert attention from the real issues.

Raj, who was speaking at a campaign rally in Dadar on Saturday, made a presentation about the developmental works done by the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC), which is ruled by his party, and lashed out at the Sena and BJP for taking voters for granted.

"They are involving you in these tiffs so your attention is not diverted elsewhere," charged Raj, whose party is being affected by the polarisation caused by the Shiv Sena and BJP's decision to go solo.

"If these things can happen in five years (in Nashik), then why didn't they take place in 25 years in Mumbai and Thane?. This is because you people don't get angry or ask questions," he said, stating that the MNS was the only political party to make such a presentation to citizens about development of open spaces, amenities, water supply and solid waste management in Nashik.

"The city is being dirtied daily, there are no footpaths or parking for vehicles... Is this a city?," Raj questioned, adding that tax-paying citizens were being taken for a ride as they were caught in a daily grind and did not hold politicians to account. Listing a litany of urban woes in Mumbai, including poor state of health facilities and the lack of an ICU in the BMC-run KEM hospital, he called on people to elect the MNS to power in Mumbai.

"(Shiv Sena president) Uddhav Thackeray is making a speech on (Prime Minister) Narendra Modi. What relation does this have with the municipal polls?" he asked, adding that the Shiv Sena should have quit the government after Uddhav, who is his estranged cousin, was cold-shouldered by Modi during the ground-breaking of the statue of Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in the Arabian Sea.

Pointing to how the saffron-controlled BMC was giving jobs to people from outside Maharashtra, Raj said similarly, the civic body had "outsiders" as contractors.

He also accused Uddhav of trying to usurp the Mayor's bungalow at Dadar in the guise of a memorial for late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and questioned why the Sena could not find land in Mumbai for it even as they were "gifting" plots to builders.

Lashing out at chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, Raj said he had been nominated to the post by Modi.

"(BJP president) Amit Shah says this is a friendly match. What kind of friendly match is this where personal, below the belt invectives are used?" he said, questioning why Shiv Sena ministers had not resigned from the BJP led governments.

Pointing to the Rs 37,500 crore budget of the BMC, Raj asked how this money had been utilised for the 25 years by the Sena- BJP ruled civic body.

"The note ban is for you. But the BJP has cash... How did they get these crores?" said Raj, alleging that the BJP was using money power in politics.