Shiv Sena, BJP in credit war over airport in Konkan in Maharashtra

Shiv Sena and BJP, the two former allies, have been trying to gain an edge over each other using Chipi airport in Konkan

A credit war has begun between the Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over one of the key projects in the state – Chipi airport in Sindhudurg district. The two former allies have been trying to gain an edge over each other in Konkan region, which is now the battlefield for the Sena and BJP, especially with key civic body elections in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Vasai-Virar, among other cities in the state, slated for early 2022.

BJP is using Shiv Sena chief and CM Uddhav Thackeray’s bete noire and leader from Maharashtra’s Konkan Narayan Rane to attack his party. (HT)

Traditionally, the Konkan region, spread along the coastline of Maharashtra, is a stronghold of the Shiv Sena. The BJP, which has had limited political presence, is looking to create inroads in the region. The selection of Narayan Rane, chief minister Uddhav Thackeray’s bete noire, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet in July was aimed to expand the party’s base in Konkan, the region Rane hails from.

CREDIT WAR

A day after Narayan Rane said that it was not necessary to invite the CM for the inauguration of the airport at Chipi, the party shot back saying the Union minister cannot claim credit for the project. Vinayak Raut, Sena MP from Ratnagiri-Sindhudurg, said that the Union minister “lacked knowledge”, as the airport was built on a public-private partnership basis by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) of the state industries department, which is headed by a Sena minister. State industries minister Subhash Desai on Wednesday held a press conference outlining the work done by MIDC and announced that the airport with be jointly inaugurated by CM Thackeray and civil aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on October 9, 2021.

Sparking a fresh tussle, Rane on Tuesday said, “It is not necessary that the CM must remain present. The minister concerned, Jyotiraditya Scindia, is going to be there.” Responding to Rane, Raut said, “The bhoomipujan was done in 1999 when he [Rane] was the chief minister but till 2014, only 14% work was done. The work done was only digging. Our representatives, including Deepak Kesarkar, who was the guardian minister [between 2014-2019] gave funds as an MP, I gave funds for street lights, Desai gave ₹40 crore for road widening. We do not want to take credit, but Rane does not have the moral right to take credit.”

Calling the industries department the “owner” of the project and “host” of the event, Desai said that the project will give a boost to Konkan.

Meanwhile, backing the union minister, Devendra Fadnavis, former chief minister, said, “I don’t think there is any credit war, as the Centre and State have to work in coordination, but nobody can deny the contribution of Rane saheb in Chipi airport. The work started under the leadership of Rane saheb in that period, which we completed when I was the chief minister.”

THE KONKAN PIE

The Shiv Sena traditionally held sway in the three districts of Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. This influence spread after it dominated areas like Mumbai, Thane and the neighbouring areas, where people from Konkan region came for jobs. In the 2019 Assembly polls, it won eight of the 12 seats in these three districts, while the BJP got two seats – one each in Raigad and Sindhudurg districts. The remaining two are held by the Nationalist Congress Party in Raigad and Ratnagiri districts.

In the alliance with the BJP, the seats in Konkan region came to the Sena, while it got limited seats in Vidarbha, the BJP’s stronghold. This changed in 2019, when the BJP despite contesting the polls in alliance, gave a ticket to Rane’s son Nitesh against a Sena candidate. The BJP got a foothold in Kankavli, Rane’s home turf, after Nitesh defeated Sena candidate Satish Sawant.

Since the split in 2019, the BJP is attempting to gain base in Konkan. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological fountainhead of BJP, has good presence in Raigad and Ratnagiri. With Rane’s inclusion, the party has got a leader who can take on Shiv Sena. Rane, who toured Konkan and Mumbai as a part of his Jan Ashirwad Yatra, attacked Sena and Thackeray. Earlier this week, union minister of state for railways Raosaheb Danve along with BJP legislators Pravin Darekar and Nitesh Rane flagged off ‘Modi Express’ trains for people heading to Konkan for Ganeshotsav.

SENA’S DEVELOPMENT PUSH

The Sena has started pushing for major development projects in Konkan, including a proposed ₹70,000-crore greenfield expressway connecting Mumbai and Sindhudurg, a renewed pitch for the mega refinery project in Ratnagiri’s Rajapur taluka. Besides, the industries department and local representatives are taking locals into confidence in Raigad district, who are opposing the ₹30,000- crore bulk drug park in Roha and Murud tehsils. The state tourism department headed by Aaditya Thackeray has taken steps to boost tourism in Konkan by coming up with a beach shack policy, inking deals with hospitality giants to set up luxurious hotels, among others.

The Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, headed by Sena minister Eknath Shinde, proposed the expressway, which will connect Mumbai (Sewri-Nhava Mumbai Trans Harbour Link) to Raigad, Ratnagiri and Sindhudurg. “Today, the travel time [between the two points] is eight to 12 hours which will be reduced by nearly half and the travel will become accident-free,” Shinde said.

Meanwhile, the refinery project is being revived with an aim to boost employment opportunities for the locals, Sena leaders from the region said. Earlier, the project was proposed in Nanar which was scrapped after stiff opposition from the locals.