A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched infrastructure projects worth Rs 38,800 crore in Mumbai, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Friday said it was only after the prime minister's visit that the city's development "kickstarted in real sense". "I have thanked him (Modi) for coming to Mumbai. The development of Mumbai started yesterday in a real sense at the hands of Narendra Modi," Shinde said at a press conference. On Thursday, Modi launched a slew of infrastructure projects at the MMRDA grounds in the Bandra Kurla Complex in Mumbai, ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections which are already due. "Several new projects related to Mumbai Metro, STP, concrete roads and clinics that were launched on Thursday by the prime minister have made the life of Mumbai's residents easier," Shinde added. मुंबई येथे आयोजित पत्रकार परिषदेतून लाईव्ह — Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) January 20, 2023 A number of workers from rural parts of Maharashtra formally joined Shinde's Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena during the press meet. परभणी जिल्ह्यातील पाथरी तालुक्यातील ४०सरपंच, उपसरपंच,सभापती,पंचायत समिती सभापती आणि सदस्य, नगराध्यक्ष,उपनगराध्यक्ष, नगरसेवक व पदाधिकाऱ्यांचा #बाळासाहेबांची_शिवसेना पक्षात प्रवेश. यात शिवसेना उद्धव बाळासाहेब ठाकरे गट,राष्ट्रवादी काँग्रेस,राष्ट्रीय काँग्रेस व अपक्ष सरपंचांचा समावेश pic.twitter.com/xBTznsPUo1 — Eknath Shinde - एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) January 20, 2023 Shinde recalled PM Modi saying that he has affection for the people of Mumbai. "He [Modi] said yesterday that money will not be a problem for the development of Mumbai and Maharashtra," said Shinde. The chief minister also said that Maharashtra has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) worth Rs 1.55 lakh crore at World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. "All these projects will be reality soon. Priority will be given to locals in the jobs created under these projects. Unlike the past, we will ensure that MoUs turn out as a reality," he said. Meanwhile, leaders from the Opposition Congress and Shiv Sena have alleged that some companies that the Maharashtra government claimed to have signed deals with at the WEF in Davos are from the state. The Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi on Friday asked why deals that could have been signed in Maharashtra were signed in Switzerland.
