In a fresh flip-flop, the BJP on Tuesday supported the interim open spaces policy which allows private third parties to maintain the city's open spaces for 11 months, in the group leader's meeting. This is despite its vehement opposition of the policy on the last occasion. BJP had not only opposed the policy in the civic body, but also in the Vidhan Sabha, with MLA Asish Shelar introducing a Private Member's Bill, to protect the city's open spaces from private interests.

However, as the party's usual representative leader Manoj Kotak was absent from the group leaders' meeting, representative Mohan Mitbavkar supported the policy, allowing the BJP to backtrack on its words within hours. Later, Manoj Kotak claimed that Mitbhavkar is not privy to the latest updates and only expressed his personal opinion. The BJP still does not support the policy, and will take this up further.

\"The group leaders only have informal discussions, where as our representative expressed his personal opinion. That does not result in passage of the policy. It has to come to the House now. We will oppose the policy, and the party maintains that all 216 plots should be taken back and maintained by the BMC,\" said Mr Kotak.

After the original open spaces policy was passed in the BMC House earlier this year, the BJP approached the chief minister to take back the policy. This resulted in an announcement that the BMC will take back all 216 plots given out on a caretaker basis. The BMC then took back only 128 plots and has not even sent notices to those holding the remaining 88 plots.

Leader of the Opposition Pravin Cheddha claimed that the policy was received by the BJP's support on Tuesday because a number of open spaces still with private parties belong to BJP members such as Gopal Shetty. Therefore, the BJP took a complete u-turn.”