In countdown to PM Modi’s visit, BJP and Sena factions ramp up civic poll pitch
Last November, BJP started its public rallies ‘Jaagar Mumbaicha’ (awakening Mumbai) and announced that rallies would be held in all 36 assembly constituencies in the city in the first phase, after which they would be organised ward wise.
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Last-minute preparations inside Gondavali Metro station, before the inauguration. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty) Preparations are underway on a war footing in the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the upcoming BMC polls in Mumbai, with programmes for voter outreach and mobilisation of party workers.
Eyeing all 227 BMC seats, and aiming at winning a minimum of 150 seats, BJP has also sought to tackle its principal opposition in BMC – the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena which has been controlling the civic body for almost three decades. In 2017, BJP had won 82 seats in BMC, just two short of the Thackeray–led Shiv Sena which had won 84.
Lifesize cut-outs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde near Kalanagar signal in Bandra. (Express Photo by Amit Chakravarty)
Last November, BJP started its public rallies ‘Jaagar Mumbaicha’ (awakening Mumbai) and announced that rallies would be held in all 36 assembly constituencies in the city in the first phase, after which they would be organised ward wise.
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar had announced that the rallies were planned to create awareness about Muslim appeasement politics of the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in Mumbai, after Saamana, the party mouthpiece, spoke about Marathi Muslims supporting Thackeray.
So far, 30 rallies have concluded, while six will be held after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai, scheduled for January 19.
The PM’s visit for Bhoomi Poojan of several civic projects is also being viewed as a pre–poll strategy to counter the Opposition’s narrative that BJP is anti-Maharashtra.
After Maharashtra lost multiple infrastructure projects to Gujarat in 2022, and following the row over Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute, the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) has accused BJP of being anti-Maharashtra.
Earlier this month, Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis chaired a meeting with all MLAs to discuss the strategy for BMC elections. Both BJP and Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (BSS) will contest the civic polls together. It is likely that the parties will come to an understanding on seat-sharing formula based on the presence of the respective party in municipal electoral wards.
As corporators completed their term, their scope for interacting with their constituents reduced, making it necessary for parties to intensify their outreach programmes. A senior BJP leader said, “Among other things, we also have the CM’s Mumbai beautification programme that has given BJP and BSS leaders a chance to keep in touch with local municipal works, that the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena does not have.” Senior leaders have held multiple review meetings with civic officials for the beautification works.
While preparations are underway in Shiv Sena (UBT), the party is also relying on its traditional shakha system for campaigning.
A senior Shiv Sena leader said, “We are running our shakhas as usual every day, and interacting with people daily. We are not in BMC, but that does not mean we have lost touch with people. Shiv Sena does not need to do fantastical outreach programmes. We do not even need to separately prepare for elections, as our work at the ground level has been going on all year round, for many years now. Our voters know this well.”
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