Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday asserted that the next mayor of Mumbai would belong to the Mahayuti alliance and would be both Marathi and Hindu. Addressing a joint BJP Sena rally in Worli ahead of the January 15 municipal elections, he also pledged to build a “Surakshit Mumbai” by taking strict action against illegal migrants, with specific reference to Bangladeshis.
Seeking to connect with the Marathi manoos, Fadnavis assured that no native Mumbaikar would be forced to leave the city due to lack of housing. Referring to the ongoing redevelopment across Mumbai, he said residents would be rehabilitated within city limits and promised larger homes as part of these projects.
The campaign event, held at the NSCI Dome, was also addressed by Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde. The choice of Worli was politically significant, as it is the assembly constituency of Sena UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray. The rally marked the formal launch of the BJP Sena campaign for the civic polls.
The Mahayuti alliance is aiming to wrest control of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation from the Uddhav Thackeray led Sena UBT, which governed the civic body for three decades when the Shiv Sena was united. In response, Uddhav Thackeray has joined hands with Raj Thackeray, banking on Marathi identity to consolidate local voters.
With 227 seats in the BMC, a minimum of 114 is required to elect the mayor. Clarifying the controversy around the mayor’s post, Fadnavis said the next mayor would be from Mahayuti and reiterated that the person would be Marathi and Hindu.
Rejecting allegations of religious bias, the chief minister said the alliance respects all faiths and religious practices. However, he added that they oppose those who refuse to show respect to the nation, stating that India does not harbor hostility towards anyone but will act firmly against those who consider the country their enemy.
Stepping up his attack on the Thackeray camp, Fadnavis accused them of attempting to claim credit for development projects executed under the Mahayuti government. He said infrastructure initiatives such as the Coastal Road and metro network were the result of Mahayuti’s efforts, and alleged that attempts were being made to mislead citizens by taking undue credit for this work.