Uddhav Thackeray defends Mumbai civic body, blames rain for waterlogging

Mumbai city news: The BJP gave the function inaugurated by Uddhav Thackeray a miss, highlighting the strained relations between the allies

Even as the downpour in the city continued on Tuesday leading to commuter woes, Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray on Tuesday defended the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and blamed the rain instead.

Speaking at the function, Uddhav Thackeray said what could the BMC do if it rained heavily.

Thackeray was speaking at the inauguration of the newly refurbished Mahakavi Kalidas Natyamandir arts theatre at Mulund. Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, however, gave the function a miss, highlighting the strained relations between the allies.

Speaking at the function, Uddhav Thackeray said what could the BMC do if it rained heavily.

He said that the city didn’t witness much water logging this year so far and expressed confidence that Mumbai would not get submerged. “But then what would the BMC do if it rains heavily?” he said.

Meanwhile, the BJP leaders who boycotted the event said that they had written to mayor Vishwanath Mahadeshwar to invite chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for the event, which the corporation failed to. Corporators also said that the municipal commissioner had initiated an inquiry into the functioning of the theatre.

The Priyadarshini sports complex, where the theatre stands, was handed over to the trust Brihanmumbai Krida and Lalitkala Pratisthan (BKLP) on a 30-year lease in 1990. BKLP is headed by Shiv Sena leader Aadesh Bandekar.

Local BJP corporator Prakash Gangadhare has accused the trust of financial irregularities and illegal activities. Gangadhare said, “The municipal commissioner has already ordered an inquiry into the irregularities. We opposed it because the mayor failed to invite the chief minister for the inauguration.”

Ironically, T ward of Mulund is represented only by BJP leaders at the corporation, the state legislature and even the Parliament.

Kalidas was refurbished at a cost of Rs27crore by the civic body.

Mahadeshwar said, “I don’t know anything about BJP’s boycott. Anybody can boycott an event in a democracy.Our motive was to re-open the art theatre as soon as possible for citizen’s benefit.”