Uddhav should take the Samruddhi Expressway, says Shah

Shah was addressing a public gathering at Saptah Maidan in Kandivali (West), where all the candidates of the Mahayuti alliance representing Mumbai’s North-West were present

MUMBAI: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Union home minister Amit Shah had a word of advice for Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday. “I want to tell this to Uddhav Thackeray ji, that if he wants to travel to Nagpur, if he is afraid to fly by air, take the Samruddhi Mahamarg, you will reach faster. This 700 km-long Samruddhi Mahamarg will save 8 hours,” said Shah.

Amit Shah addressed a rally at Saptah Maidan in Kandivali West on Wednesday. (Raju Shinde/HT Photo)

This was a dig at the Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, who had lost his temper when his bags were subjected to routine checks by election officers while on the campaign trail. Shah also cleverly used it as an opportunity to plump for a mega-project executed by the ruling Mahayuti government, ahead of the assembly elections in the state.

Shah was addressing a public gathering at Saptah Maidan in Kandivali (West), where all the candidates of the Mahayuti alliance representing Mumbai’s North-West were present. He arrived here after campaigning for alliance candidates in Ghatkopar.

Meanwhile, Shah said that the Navi Mumbai airport would be ready soon, catering to 2 crore passengers and 8 lakh MT cargo. After reminding voters of the mega-projects executed by the BJP-led Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, Shah said the Mumbai Coastal Road would be extended till Bhayandar. He also mentioned the Orange Gate-Nariman Point tunnel project in the island city.

He said Dharavi, Asia’s largest slum, would be redeveloped, providing good homes to people who lived there. “It will not only benefit Dharavi but the valuation of entire Mumbai will improve,” he remarked. Shah said that despite the Congress and NCP being in power in the past, they did nothing for the Marathi language, while Modi had given Marathi the status of a classical language.

Shah also slammed the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for its opposition to changing the name of Osmanabad, Aurangabad and Ahmednagar. “It’s pitiable that Uddhav ji is bending so low for a seat (satta). He needs to remember Balasahaeb and his principles, and where he (Uddhav) is standing now,” he said.

Shah also ridiculed the MVA for looking down on the Ladli Behna Yojana, in Madhya Pradesh, claiming that the opposition alliance is now “copying the format” and including it in their election manifesto, which betrays their “double standards”.