English
Mumbai, Jan 20: During the ongoing talks between Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to forge an alliance in the upcoming BMC polls, Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray in a desperate move to woo voters announced property tax exemption for Mumbaikars if voted back to power. Barely two hours after this announcement, BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar claimed that his party has already proposed the idea of property tax exemption and the city chief also promised that if voted to power, the party will cancel street tax until BMC gives city good roads.
Uddhav Thackeray was the first to announce the party’s partial manifesto in a press conference. In the conference, the Sena chief announced that if voted back to power, the party will exempt property tax with carpet area less than 500 sq ft and also announced heavy discount on tax for houses up to 700 sq ft. Sena supremo also launched ‘Balasaheb Thackeray Aarogya Kavach’ scheme which promises free healthcare for all Mumbaiites who are not qualified for any of the state government’s health sops. Taking a jibe on BJP, Thackeray stated, “My announcements will not be limited to elections the way the ‘Acche din’ campaign was. I will implement everything that I have promised.”
After the press conference of Uddhav Thackeray, BJP responded quickly and a press conference was organised within two hours after the announcement made by Sena. Addressing the media on Thursday evening BJP city president Ashish Shelar said,“As far as property tax goes, the BJP had first proposed exempting the tax on properties with carpet area of up to 600 sq ft. I had tabled this in the Vidhan Sabha last year and it had been cleared. So we are not opposed to such a move. We have also proposed that Mumbaiites be free of street tax until the state of roads in the city improves.’’
He further continued stating that, “The BMC has a budget of Rs 34,000 crore and deposits of Rs 25,000 crore and despite this, tax terrorism continues in Mumbai. Street tax of nearly Rs500-Rs 600 crore is collected annually even though the state of the roads is shoddy. The BJP is committed to changing this scenario.”
The competition of offering sops to Mumbaikars is projected to affect the ongoing talks between Sena-BJP regarding alliance in the civic polls. Differences between the parties increased after BJP MP Kirit Somaiya in an interview to IBN Lokmat commented that the Mumbai citizens are fed up with one family rule over the city. The BJP MP even called for a ‘mafia raaj’ free civic body.
Reacting to the allegations made by Kirit Somaiya, Sena leaders told media that their party would ask BJP if the views expressed was the official stand of the party.
BJP Mumbai has been reported to demand of 106 seats out of 227 seats which leaves Shiv Sena with only 121 seats. However, the ongoing tensions between the party may cast a shadow on the Sena-BJP talks.
BMC elections will be conducted on February 21 and the results will be announced on February 23. With only a month left for the election, Sena and BJP are trying to show their strength in the city to gain control of the Asia’s richest Municipal corporation.
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