National News
With lavish Ganpati celebrations, the BJP of Mumbai court the “Marathi manoos” before of the BMC elections
In order to draw attention to the lack of significant celebrations during the previous two years, the BJP has introduced buses, a train, and organised a contest for the best pandal for festival-goers who are returning home.
Mumbai: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra is throwing a lavish Ganesh Chaturthi celebration in an effort to win over voters after toppling the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government last year with the aid of renegade Shiv Sainiks.
The important Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections are expected to take place later this year, and the BJP is putting all of its effort towards unseating the Shiv Sena, which has ruled the Mumbai civic body for 25 years and is considered to be India’s richest, from power.
Following a break of two Covid-plagued years, Maharashtra is once again celebrating the 10-day Ganesh festival, one of the most significant in the state, which began on Wednesday.
The BJP has put up banners all over Mumbai, launched special buses and trains for the “Marathi manoos” travelling home to their villages in the Konkan region for the festival, and also organised an event for the best Ganesh pandal under the auspices of the party’s Mumbai chapter.
Some of the BJP’s banners thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, writing “Our administration is in power now, Hindu festivals are out of trouble now,” in a subtly critical remark on the deposed MVA government.
Due to Covid, the MVA administration has declared restrictions on the state’s major celebrations. The Eknath Shinde-Fadnavis administration, on the other hand, declared that all festivals will be observed without any limitations this year.
This will be Mumbai’s largest Ganeshotsav competition. At a press conference on Monday, BJP MLA Prasad Lad stated, “BJP Mumbai has joined to make it grander. Our Akhil Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mahasangh organises such events every year.
According to Ashish Shelar, president of the BJP in Mumbai, “We do these things every year. However, we’re going all out this year. We believe we must continue to support the Konkani people as we do every year.
A different BJP leader, who wished to remain unnamed, concurred that the party is raising the alarm for the BMC elections. Thus, the lavish parties.
On September 5, Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to arrive in Mumbai and pay a visit to Lalbaugcha Raja, one of the city’s most well-known Ganesh idols. During his visit, he is also anticipated to meet with Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and have discussions with important BJP members.
