Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai :In the presence of Modi, BJP and its alliance partner Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena are determined to “renew their pledge to take Mumbai to greater heights”, said a party leader.Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Mumbai on Thursday is part of the BJP’s strategy to emphasise on ‘Mumbai Makeover’, to convey how the financial capital is integral for the country’s development, and to counter the Maha Vikas Aghadi’s (MVA) attempts to portray the party as ‘anti-Mumbai’.
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While the PM is going to launch infrastructure projects worth Rs 38,000 crore, the BJP has scripted the events to draw maximum political mileage. The rally at the MMRDA ground in Bandra-Kurla Complex is titled ‘Sankalp Sabha’ while the tag line is ‘Mumbai Awaits PM Modi’.
“When you think of PM Narendra Modi, the first thing that comes to mind is his development work,” said Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday
Lifesize cut-outs of the PM have been installed along the route he will take on Thursday, especially the road leading to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence Matoshree, sending a not-so-subtle message.
However, BJP’s larger concern is to counter the sympathy factor which has worked in favour of the Shiv Sena (UBT) since split in the party. While the Eknath Shinde-led faction managed to form a government with the BJP, the latter is not sure how Mumbai residents will vote in the upcoming BMC polls, said sources.
“In the last six months, politics has overshadowed the development agenda. The internal bickering within the Shinde-Fadnavis government had made the power tussle public. Shinde faction MLAs vying for Cabinet berth are sulking… Congress, NCP and Sena (UBT) have been systematically attacking the government over loss of investment projects to Gujarat… The MVA has evoked ‘Marathi Asmita’ to project BJP as anti-Mumbai, anti-Marathi,” said a BJP leader.
