BJP will win Mumbai civic polls: Narayan Rane
(Sourced from PTI)
Union MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises) Minister Narayan Rane paid homage to Shiv Sena supremo late Balasaheb Thackeray at his memorial in Mumbai on Thursday and later claimed the BJP will win the forthcoming polls to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, currently ruled by Sena. Sena MP Vinayak Raut had opposed Rane's visit to the memorial at Shivaji Park in Dadar area.
Raut said that Rane had no right to pay respects to Balasaheb Thackeray as the BJP leader's actions of "breaking the Shiv Sena" caused a lot of pain to the party founder. But, Sena's Dadar MLA Sada Sarvankar said he had no directives from the party leadership to prevent Rane from visiting the memorial, during the latter's "Jan Ashirwad Yatra" in the city.
Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Rane, who was earlier with the Sena before joining the Congress and subsequently switching over to the BJP in 2019, also visited Hindutva ideologue VD Savarkar's memorial located nearby. Later, talking to reporters, Rane said Balasaheb Thackeray may not be physically present, but he will bless him to do good work.
"Through my ministry, I'll work for generating employment opportunities. The BJP will win the BMC (Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation) polls and the job of ensuring it is with all the BJP leaders, including myself," he said. Referring to Raut's comments that the Sena will prevent him from coming to the Shivaji Park, Rane said when it comes to paying tributes, people's sentiments must be respected.
"Speak directly what you want to say. Don't ask your left or right to talk," he said in a veiled attack on state Chief Minister and Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray. "The BJP will win the BMC polls and end the sins committed over 32 years," asserted Rane, who was recently inducted into the Union cabinet.
To a question on the CM's comments that political gatherings must be avoided in view of COVID-19, Rane said, "Those who have come to power through backdoor shouldn't preach us. Seeing the response to the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra,' one must understand their days are numbered."
