Mumbai, Jan 1 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday claimed the ruling BJP's agenda is to ensure that a 'Marathi manoos' does not become the mayor of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation
(BMC).
Talking to reporters, Raut further claimed that the BJP wants to hurt the Marathi people.
Responding to remarks made by BJP leader Kripashankar Singh that efforts would be made to ensure the election of a Hindi-speaking mayor in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), Raut said this is a conspiracy of the BJP.
The statement by Singh was not done without any purpose but it was a strategy to create an atmosphere among outsiders against Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. Following this, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Samrat Choudhary, respectively, would be brought in to campaign for the BJP for the civic body polls, he said.
"The BJP has decided not to have a Marathi mayor in Mumbai or anywhere else. This is BJP's agenda,” Raut said.
"Its agenda is to ensure that a Marathi manoos does not lead Mumbai in the BMC and they are working towards it. Marathi manoos is solidly behind Shiv Sena (UBT) and MNS," the Rajya Sabha member added.
His remarks come just a fortnight before the civic body polls in which the party is expected to harp on the son of soil issue.
Raut said the BJP is not the party that works for the pride of Maharashtra. It has no link to the 'Samyukta Maharashtra' issue.
Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including the cash-rich BMC controlled by the undivided Shiv Sena from 1997-2022, will be held on January 15, a race that is seen as one of the toughest battles for the Sena (UBT) and the MNS. PTI PR NP
