Nagpur, Dec 14 (NationPress) Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde asserted on Sunday that the Mahayuti, which includes BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP, will dominate the upcoming elections for the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation, overcoming those who have 'plundered' Mumbai’s treasury.

During a fierce address in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, he questioned, "Who are the 'Rehman Dacoits' stealing from Mumbai's treasury?"

Shinde expressed his conviction that the Mahayuti would emerge victorious as the true 'dhurandhar' (master) by defeating these adversaries in the forthcoming municipal elections.

He criticized previous leaders, stating, "What did those in power for so many years actually achieve? They repeatedly claimed they would dismantle Mumbai. Be it the Mithi River or Covid, they seized every opportunity to commit a 'dacoity'. They enveloped themselves around the treasury, engaging in scams at every turn,” while intensifying his criticism of Shiv Sena(UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray.

In response to the opposition's critiques during last week's state council session, Dy CM Shinde countered, asserting that while the government has continued its development initiatives and welfare programs, the opposition has resorted to unfounded allegations. “Some individuals act as if they lack strength but flee after a slight pinch. They visit Nagpur merely for tourism; their routine is ‘Arrival today, Departure tomorrow.’ They came but did not pose a single question during the session, nor did they discuss any pressing issues in the House. This clearly illustrates their disconnect with public concerns,” he remarked, targeting the Shiv Sena(UBT) chief.

He noted that the opposition's sole focus has been on claiming the position of Leader of Opposition, overlooking public matters. He emphasized that to attain that role, they must elect enough members, indicating that the public has distanced them from that position.

Addressing the calls for the abolition of his Deputy CM position, he remarked that they made headlines but conveniently forgot their own past when they retained the Deputy CM role in their cabinet. He attributed the criticisms against him to 'ill-will and jealousy'.

The Dy CM highlighted numerous decisions made by the state government for the residents of Mumbai, labeling them as 'historic'.

He mentioned that the government has provided relief to 20,000 buildings in Mumbai lacking an Occupancy Certificate (OC), and has resolved to make Mumbai 'Pagdi-free'.

Additionally, the government approved a plan to offer alternative housing within a 5 km radius for 25,000 National Park employees, modified rules for the redevelopment of chawls on Mumbai's mill lands, reduced prices by 10 percent for homes constructed by the City and Industrial Development Corporation, and opted to implement the Cluster Redevelopment Scheme for large plots exceeding 50 acres, with 17 projects selected in the initial phase.

"We are realizing the dream of Hindu hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray to provide housing for 40 lakh slum dwellers," stated Shinde.

He noted that by launching these initiatives on January 23 of the upcoming year, coinciding with Balasaheb's centennial birth celebration, they are making these 'flower offerings of schemes at his feet'.