Mumbai: The Nationalist Con-gress Party (NCP) has formed a special group of leaders to look into ‘urban issues’. This group will reach out to urban voters and try to find solutions to their issues. This special group is actually a reaction to a constant trend in national politics where urban voters opt for the Bhar-atiya Janata Party (BJP). As Mahara-shtra is an almost 40 per cent urban and semi-urban state, no party can afford to ignore urban voters in their strategy.

NCP Rajya Sabha Member of Parlia-ment (MP) Vandana Chavan will lead the group while the par-ty’s Member of Legisl-ative Council (MLC) Vidya Chavan will be its deputy chairman. There are a total of 19 members in this group, including a former Lok Sabha Mem-ber of Parliament, a former MLA and former MLCs, among lea-ders. “This group will start consultations about issues in urban parts of the state. The group will directly meet citizens and try to come up with solutions,” said state chief Jayant Patil.

Since the Gujarat Assembly elections of 2017, it has become clear time and again that the BJP has been getting strong support in urban areas whereas it is losing badly in rural ones. Maharas-htra has almost 102 Assembly seats out of 288 where urban and semi-urban voters are decisive. As of now, the BJP and Shiv Sena have a strong presence in these se-ats. So, countering the-se parties in cities will be a tough task for the NCP.

Speaking about the situation since the BJP came to power in the state, Vidya Chav-an said, “The BJP received support in cities in the last four years. But people have realised the hollowness of the party. The BJP made tall claims but nothing has changed in the last four years. Urba-nisation-related issues have gone from bad to worst in these years. So we are sure to come up with solutions.”