BJP to use Mann Ki Baat for BMC poll

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) plans to capitalise on ‘brand NaMo’ in the crucial Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls.

The party has organised events for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popular radio programme ‘Mann Ki Baat’, where he addresses the people of the nation, at as many as 120 spots in the city on Sunday.

“In this event, the party would also like to know Mumbaikars’ views on smart cities. A form will be distributed to citizens, in which they will be asked to write their opinion and suggestions on how to make the city smart. The event has been organised at every nook and cranny in all six zones of the city,” said city BJP chief Ashish Shelar.

The pamphlets prepared by the party for this event says that the BJP is committed to make the city ‘smart.’ The brochure mentions proposed projects like the coastal road, Wi-Fi facilities, the Metro project, 24-hour water supply and slum rehabilitation and chawl redevelopment. Other projects like the Mumbai-Thane Metro, garbage-free city, development of Mumbai Port Trust land, Mumbai-Alibaug water transport, CCTVs for security, use of LED lamps, the Sewri-Nhava Sheva Trans-Harbour Link and Ambedkar Memorial at Indu Mill are also mentioned in the pamphlet.

The BJP plans are been seen as an attempt to gear up for the civic polls, which will be held in February next year. The party wants to take over the richest municipal corporation in the country by dislodging its alliance partner Shiv Sena from power. Asking citizens to send in feedback on the smart city project is being seen as an attempt to send a message that the party is working hard for the city’s development.

After the Centre refused Mumbai’s entry into the smart city project, the BMC decided to implement the project on its own.