Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aditya Thackeray launched a sharp critique against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, alleging that the ruling party has no substantial development work to showcase and is instead resorting to renaming initiatives launched by previous governments. He made these remarks during a media interaction in Pune, where he was reviewing his party's preparations for the upcoming municipal corporation elections.
Accusations of Rebranding and Corruption
Thackeray directly linked the recent decision by the Central government to rename the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) as VB-G RAM G to this alleged pattern. "BJP is the world's largest party, but it is still inducting corrupt politicians from other parties," Thackeray stated. He argued that this action reveals the party's mindset, which he claims is focused on corruption rather than genuine development.
"Even after being in government at the Centre for so many years, BJP cannot show any development work of its own," Thackeray asserted. "Therefore, it is changing the names of the projects introduced by the previous government and presenting them as its own work." He emphasized that this tactic is employed because the BJP lacks concrete achievements to present to the public.
Pune's Governance and Environmental Concerns
Turning his attention to local issues, Thackeray expressed deep concern over the state of Pune's governance. He remarked that Pune, once considered an aspirational city, is now "choking." He attributed this decline not just to population growth but largely due to the lack of effective governance.
He cited specific projects to illustrate his point. Thackeray highlighted the proposed Balbharti-Paud Phata link road that would cut through the ecologically sensitive Vetal Tekdi. "When I was the environment minister, I stayed the project that would destroy Vetal Tekdi," he recalled. He accused the current BJP-led government of making a similar mistake in Nashik's Tapovan area.
Furthermore, he criticized the Mula-Mutha riverfront development project, alleging that the government is narrowing the riverbank under the guise of development. "These are being showcased as development projects by the government, but in reality, they are for nature's destruction," Thackeray charged.
Political Alliances and Party Dynamics
When questioned about potential alliances for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) polls, Thackeray did not elaborate on a specific formula between Shiv Sena (UBT), the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), and other Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partners. He indicated that local units of the respective municipal corporations would announce a strategy soon.
"We are trying to bring together like-minded people who will stand up to protect cities from destruction," he said, outlining the broader goal of the opposition unity efforts.
Addressing the departure of several Shiv Sena (UBT) workers to parties in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, Thackeray adopted a dismissive stance. He suggested that those who are scared of police action are leaving his party, and they have no issue with such exits. "Those who want to work for society continue to be with us," he affirmed.
In his concluding remarks, Thackeray made a sweeping claim about BJP-ruled states, saying they are "moving backwards" as development is not on the party's agenda. His visit and statements set the stage for a contentious battle in the forthcoming civic polls, with governance and environmental sustainability positioned as key campaign issues.
