Aaditya Thackeray criticises Shinde government over floods and calls for immediate local elections

Shivsena (UBT) chief Aaditya Thackeray. File | Photo credit: Emmanual Yogini

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray termed the Eknath Shinde-led MahaYuti government inefficient and accused the present government of failing to provide relief measures to citizens during the storms and heavy rains on Wednesday.

He criticised the government for the floods in Mumbai, Thane and Pune due to heavy rains.

Speaking in Mumbai, the former minister said the Western Express Highway in the capital, a major traffic artery in the western suburbs, was inundated on Wednesday (September 25, 2024). “Such flooding on this highway was reported only after the massive rains on July 26, 2005,” he said.

Mr. Thackeray accused the government of not providing relief to citizens in such emergencies. “We, the undivided Shiv Sena, have always been there when help was needed. But yesterday, no one from the Sena-BJP alliance was on the ground in Mumbai, Pune or Thane to help the people. Even representatives of the municipal corporation were nowhere to be seen,” he said.

He added that areas like Hindmata in Mumbai, where flood control measures were implemented during her rule, were also under water. Though the city has 400 pumps and five pumping stations, they were unable to handle the situation, he claimed.

The Sena (UBT) leader further alleged that no appointments were made to 15 deputy municipal councillor posts in the last two and a half years. He asked how the citizens could redress their grievances in the absence of local representatives and stressed the need for immediate municipal council elections.

Pointing out that the administrative bodies are currently run by administrative officers who report to the Urban Development Authority, which in turn reports to the Chief Minister, Mr Thackeray criticised the management of these bodies. He also attacked Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnav, blaming him for the train delays and overcrowding caused by the rains.