BJP leaves Uddhav out for Metro ceremony in Mumbai, invites Sena ire

Sena leaders boycotted the event, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for Metro 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) and Metro 9 (Dahisar-Mira Bhayander) – in Kalyan

The exclusion of Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray from the list of invitees for the ground-breaking ceremony of two Metros in the city on Tuesday could be the latest flashpoint between the Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJP-led state invited members of parliament and members of legislative assembly as per the protocol. (Pratik Chorge/HT Photo)

Sena leaders boycotted the event, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for two Metro projects – Metro 5 (Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan) and Metro 9 (Dahisar-Mira Bhayander) – in Kalyan. “As the government did not invite party chief Uddhav Thackeray, it was decided that the members will boycott the function,” said a Sena functionary.

The BJP-led state invited members of parliament (MPs) and members of legislative assembly (MLAs) as per the protocol. The Sena leaders, however, pointed out that protocol was overlooked previously when Thackeray, who does not hold any public office, had shared the stage with the PM.

Ignoring Thackeray, at a time when the BJP is attempting to stitch together an alliance with the Sena, even though the latter has expressed its intent to go solo, could make the Sena even more aggressive towards the ally.

Sena MP and party spokesperson Arvind Sawant said the BJP remembers its allies when it needs support in Parliament, and forgets them conveniently. “They seek our help during Presidential election, but at other times say they are bound by protocol. If their invite was as per the protocol, even ours for the BMC [coastal road bhoomipujan] function was as per the procedure,” Sawant said.

In a tit-for-tat, the Sena hurriedly held the bhoomipujan for the coastal road project on Sunday. While local BJP MLA Mangal Prabhat Lodha was invited, he did not attend the event.

“Uddhav ji is the leader of the party that is in alliance with them [BJP]. He should have been invited for the event,” Pratap Sarnaik, Sena MLA from Ovala-Majiwada constituency (Thane).

Senior Sena leaders said Thackeray was left out, so the BJP could take credit for the work.

The two parties are engaged in poster wars claiming credit for implementation of key infrastructure projects in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The Sena put up posters and banners across Thane and Kalyan claiming credit for Metro projects in the region. Similarly, the BJP put up posters in Mumbai, claiming the BJP government facilitated faster permissions for the coastal road project of the Sena-controlled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation.