Sena UBT march to BMC: Key for party’s show of strength

The protest march is against issues of fund irregularities, corruption and loot which the party claims to be happening in the civic body.

Interestingly, the march is organised in the backdrop of the probe started by the Enforcement Directorate in BMC’s functioning and alleged irregularities during Covid-19 pandemic and raids on Aaditya Thackeray’s aide in the Covid jumbo centre “scam”, and subsequent and the razing of an alleged ‘shakha’ of Sena (UBT) at Nirmal Nagar in Bandra, which is near to the Matoshree bungalow of Uddhav Thackeray.

The march is said to be a counter attack by Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s order of setting up an SIT to probe into irregularities in the BMC citing a CAG report.

The BMC was under the control of the Shiv Sena (UBT) during this period of Covid 19.

The march also comes days after one year of rebellion in Shiv Sena in June last year,

That the march is crucial for the party is evident in its preparations.

Aaditya, who is going to lead the march along with the senior party leaders, has been holding meetings to carve out the plan for the march and the mobilisation of the cadre.

Recently, the Sena UBT had also released a video teaser of the march.

Shiv Sena’s teaser highlights the alleged corruption of thousands of crores of rupees in the BMC and alleged that several scams like road scam, gravel scam, street furniture scam, sanitary pad vending machine scam, have taken place under the Shinde government.

The teaser also attacks BMC Commissioner and alleged that he is also hand in gloves with Shinde for carrying out the scams.

The march— the first one Sena UBT against Shinde-fadnavis government — would showcase the party’s strength in Mumbai.

On Tuesday, a Shiv Sena (UBT) delegation had met senior Mumbai police officials to discuss the route of the party’s march.

Sena UBT MP from South Mumbai Arvind Sawant told reporters that police requested the party to take the march to Azad Maidan in South Mumbai.

Sawant said that Sena UBT did not oppose the change in the march’s route but said that the route suggested by police is inconvenient as the road leading to Azad Maidan is narrow.

“We suggested that the march will start from Metro Cinema, take a turn at Crawford Market and end near the Times of India office. We will have a stage there. They have not given a reply yet. But they have also not refused to give permission,” Sawant said.