Mumbai will reject BJP's religious politics, says Gaikwad as Cong gears up for solo fight

Mumbai, Dec 20 (PTI) Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad on Saturday said the BJP's "religious politics and double standards" would be rejected by the voters of the metropolis who will focus on core civic issues.

Polls to 29 municipal corporations, including Mumbai, will take place on January 15, while votes will be counted on the next day.

"Whenever elections come, the BJP starts playing religious politics," Gaikwad said in a statement.

She said while BJP's Mumbai unit chief Ameet Satam claims NCP's Nawab Malik is unacceptable, the Ajit Pawar-led party's state president Sunil Tatkare holds discussions with senior BJP leader Ashish Shelar.

"The BJP says Nawab Malik is unwanted, yet his (MLA) daughter Sana Malik votes in favour of the BJP government. This clearly exposes the party's double standards," she said.

Gaikwad said the BJP's approach of seeking to remain in power, enjoying its benefits, and resorting to religious politics during elections is evident to the people of Mumbai.

"Mumbaikars will not be misled by this. They will vote on real civic issues such as roads, traffic congestion, clean drinking water and air quality," the Lok Sabha MP added.

Speaking on the occasion, All India Congress Committee in charge Ramesh Chennithala said the party would fight Mumbai civic polls on its own strength and focus on the issues affecting citizens.

"We will fight the polls on issues of common Mumbaikars like pollution, healthcare, and corruption. Mumbaikars should give us a chance to serve them well. The Congress is firm on contesting polls independently to protect the secular fabric of the metropolis," he said.

He said he has spoken to allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi but the Congress' city unit leadership has decided to contest the local polls independently.

Meanwhile, party sources said Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut spoke to Chennithala twice for an alliance but he conveyed his party's stand to them.

Sources said the city Congress leadership, in their meeting with Chennithala, expressed anguish at how Thackeray had announced his party's candidates for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls last year without consulting the Congress.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprises the Congress, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and Thackeray's Shiv Sena (UBT). PTI MR BNM