'Mumbai First, Not Contractors': DyCM Eknath Shinde Slams Uddhav Thackeray Over BMC Corruption, Mithi Scam

Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde launched a fierce attack on Thursday against his former party leader and ex-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. Criticising the previous administration, Shinde said their priority was 'contractor first,' whereas the current government's focus is 'Mumbai first.'

Shinde was replying to a debate under Rule 293 initiated by the Opposition members.

Referring to the ongoing inquiry over the Mithi river desilting scam, he said if Dino Morea opens his mouth, it will be a huge embarrassment for them. Currently, the tendering process for the Mithi river is under the scrutiny and investigation of a special investigation team (SIT). Even the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has questioned Morea and his brother in this connection.

Later, Shinde slammed the former CM over the jumbo Covid centre and distribution of khichdi to patients. Shinde’s attack was in response to the criticism by Aaditya Thackeray over the alleged corruption in the BMC when Shinde was heading the government between 2022 to 2024.

While refuting the allegations, Shinde denied any wrongdoing while awarding contracts for the road concretisation work. “It will not require repair work every year, unlike in the past,” he said referring to annual repairs when the Shiv Sena ruled the BMC. “During the 25-year rule, the contractor-favoured policy was implemented,” he added.

“Once the ongoing concretisation is over, the city will be pothole-free,” he said.

“We have launched various projects to bring back Marathi people to stay in Mumbai. They had to go out of the city limits due to unaffordable housing in the previous regime,” he further said.

Meanwhile, Sena UBT leader Bhaskar Jadhav accused the assembly speaker Rahul Narvekar of bias when the latter did not allow him to speak under the rule for right to reply.

Aaditya Thackeray, who initiated the debate, was not present in the house, and the Sena members were insisting that Jadhav be allowed to speak.

At this point, Jadhav made some critical remarks against the speaker, angering the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena members. Amidst the din, Narwekar adjourned the house for ten minutes.

Minister Shambhuraj Desai objected to the gesturing of Jadhav against the speaker. Narwekar noted that insulting the chair amounts to denigrating the entire House.

Later, speaking with the media persons at Vidhan Bhavan, Jadhav said that speaker Narwekar did not allow him to speak, which goes against the principles of fair debate.

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