DyCM orders probes into finances of Sena-ruled BMC

The civic body, which is the richest in the country, has been ruled by the Shiv Sena for three decades

Mumbai: The political battle between the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and the Eknath Shinde-led Sena faction, and its ally, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) went up a notch as deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday announced multiple investigations, including one by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) into alleged financial irregularities and corruption in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.

With the BMC elections slated to be held later this year, the BJP seems to be looking to wrest control of the BMC from Thackeray-led Sena (ANI)

The civic body, which is the richest in the country, has been ruled by the Shiv Sena for three decades. With the BMC elections slated to be held later this year, the BJP seems to be looking to wrest control of the BMC from Thackeray-led Sena.

Fadnavis said that complaints of irregularities needed to be investigated by the CAG through a special audit. He further announced that the urban development department would probe certain BMC officials, who allegedly undertook contracts by opening companies during the Covid pandemic. Chief minister Eknath Shinde also announced a probe by the anti-corruption bureau (ACB) into delimitation of BMC wards announced by former CM Uddhav Thackeray in November 2021.

The BJP had earlier alleged that delimitation was done to provide an electoral advantage to the Sena, which was in power in a coalition government till June. However, while declaring the probes, the CM and his deputy made it a point to mention that these probes were not part of any vendetta against opposition parties.

“There are some specific complaints which are of such a nature that they require a special audit by CAG. The money of the people was siphoned off and the chief minister has directed to conduct a special audit through CAG,” Fadnavis declared in the state Assembly while replying to a debate related to infrastructure of the city.

“We are not doing so (investigation) for political reasons and if that would be the reason, we would have announced the probe through a retired official or some government officials,” he said.

The CM also announced a probe into delimitation of wards in the BMC. “The complaint of corruption in the delimitation of wards will be probed in detail through ACB. Those found will be punished,” Shinde said.

The previous Sena-led Maharsahtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government decided to increase the number of wards in the BMC to 236 from 227. When Shinde-Fadnavis came to power, they scrapped this decision. , On Wednesday, the assembly passed a bill clearing the amendment in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, allowing the numbers of wards to revert to its 2017 number.

Fadnavis claimed that certain BMC officials opened companies overnight to obtain contracts during the Covid pandemic. “The BMC has stated that the probe is on but it should be completed in a time-bound manner. I would request the chief minister to probe these complaints by an UD official,” Fadnavis said.

Allegations of corruption in the opening of Covid centres prompted Fadnavis to point out that a complaint has been registered with the police and the Lokayukta. “Prima facie it appears corruption was done. A probe is already on and directives will be issued to complete it in a time bound manner,” he said.

The announcements came a day after Thackeray clarified that Sena will remain partners in the MVA, which also comprises the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Congress.

The Sena accused the government of vindictive politics and said that leaders, like legislator Yamini Jadhav’s husband, Yashwant Jadhav, who have partnered with the BJP and sided with Shinde, are not facing any inquiry despite several allegations against them. “Nothing is going on in the entire country except vindictive politics, be it Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand. In the due course of time it will start in Telangana as well,” Arvind Sawant, Sena MP and chief spokesperson said, referring to states where non-BJP governments are in power.

“It is the standard technique [of the BJP to use all resources at their disposal] and we will not be cowed down with it. This is nothing but harassing the people,” Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan said.

The Sena has been ruling the Mumbai civic body since last three decades in alliance with the BJP. In the 2017 elections, the allies decided to go solo. The BJP did not field any candidates for the post of mayor, deputy mayor or standing chairman though they secured 82 of the 227 seats (Sena won 84 seats).

After the 2019 assembly elections, the allies parted ways and the Sena joined hands with the NCP and Congress to form a coalition government.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former city unit chief of the party, Milind Deora on Wednesday raised questions over the money spent on Mumbai’s roads by the civic body and demanded a CBI probe into the same. “Between 2017-22, @mybmc spent ₹12,000 crore on Mumbai’s roads — a staggering 10% of @NHAI_Official’s annual budget! Mumbaikars brave potholes every year & deserve to know who is looting India’s richest civic body. I demand a CBI probe. Roads are just the tip of the iceberg,” he tweeted. When asked about Deora’s remarks, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray said, “Some friends are unhappy because they did not get certain things.”