Show even one city that achieved actual progress under BJP rule: Aaditya challenges Fadnavis

Mumbai, Jul 9 (PTI) Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Thursday challenged Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to name a single BJP-governed city in the country that had witnessed genuine progress. He claimed that the cities ruled by the BJP in the past decade collapsed financially and infrastructure-wise because of its "inability to govern". In a post on X, Thackeray said, "Before the chief minister preaches about the BMC's fixed deposits that we created for key projects in Mumbai, he must speak about the loot in the Ram Temple by the trust his party appointed. Answer that first and then pretend to care about financial management." Undivided Shiv Sena ruled the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for more than two decades. Currently, the BJP rules the civic body with alliance partner Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The alleged embezzlement of Ram temple donations came to light on June 7. An FIR was registered following a preliminary report by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government. Eight persons associated with the temple's donation and counting process have been arrested in the case. Targeting the CM, Thackeray further said, "I also challenge him to show us one city in India that was BJP-governed and that actually progressed. Almost all cities governed by the BJP in the past decade have collapsed financially and infrastructure-wise because of the BJP's inability to govern." The former Maharashtra minister claimed the fixed deposits created during the undivided Shiv Sena's tenure in the BMC enabled the civic body to undertake major infrastructure projects without depending on financial assistance from the Centre. "It is the fixed deposits that we built over the past two decades that enable us to make the Coastal Road (south-bound), Goregaon-Mulund Link Road and sewage treatment plants without standing with a begging bowl in front of the BJP-led Union government that chokes all states of funds through GST," Thackeray said. He also claimed that the previous civic administration had made Gandhi Market, Hind Mata and Milan Subway waterlogging-free within two years, and accused the present government of failing to complete even routine pre-monsoon works. "We made Gandhi Market, Hind Mata and Milan Subway waterlogging-free in two years. Your government hasn't even bothered to finish pre-monsoon tree trimming and nullah cleaning this year," he said. Thackeray also alleged that the BJP-led government delayed Mumbai's proposed desalination project. "We had initiated the desalination project in 2021-22. Had your government not stalled it for four years, Mumbai wouldn't have faced water cuts," he said. PTI ND NP