Nagpur, Jan 6 (PTI) Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday said the next mayor of Mumbai would be “Bharatiya, Maharashtrian and a Mumbaikar”, a veiled dig at Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis over his “Hindu-Marathi” mayor remark for the financial capital.
Sapkal and Congress leaders released the party’s manifesto for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation elections. The poll document aims to secure 100 corporators and presents a vision of a “Clean and Smart Nagpur,” outlining several development plans for the city.
“A polarisation race is underway, and the ‘unity in diversity’ foundation of India is being undermined. Slogans are being raised about the Mayor belonging to one language or another, while there is no discussion on development. No one knows what happened to the promise of 100 smart cities. Such issues are being raised to divert attention from real concerns,” Sapkal alleged.
It is the Congress’s stand that the next mayor of Mumbai will be “Bhartiya, Maharashtrian and Mumbaikar,” he told reporters while responding to questions about political parties claiming that the mayor of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation would belong to a particular linguistic group—Urdu, Marathi, or Hindi-speaking.
He reiterated that Congress had written to the State Election Commission demanding re-election in civic wards where (Mahayuti) candidates were elected unopposed and making the NOTA option operational.
Amid a row over Maharashtra BJP chief Ravindra Chavan’s remarks on “easing” the legacy of former Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh in Latur, Sapkal said the late Congress leader’s contribution to Maharashtra was enormous.
“Vilasrao Deshmukh was a stalwart personality. It seems the BJP state chief (Chavan) has also become arrogant in politics, which is very wrong and dangerous. We condemn this statement of the BJP chief,” he added.
Sapkal alleged that the BJP not only wants to wipe away the memory of Vilasrao Deshmukh, but it is also playing uncultured politics, which is being led by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
He stated that Congress had performed well in the recently held Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat elections and expressed confidence that Nagpur would once again get a Congress Mayor.
He added that the party conducted its ticket distribution process in a planned and coordinated manner across Maharashtra without disputes, calling it a significant achievement.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, will be held on January 15. Votes will be counted the following day. PTI CLS NSK
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