Govt approves Rs 100 crore for Thackeray memorial
This was decided in the meeting chaired by CM.
Mumbai: In a bid to appease the Shiv Sena in the backdrop of the birth anniversary of Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray, the BJP-led Maharashtra government has approved Rs 100 crore for his memorial at mayor’s bungalow in Dadar. The state Cabinet approved the decision on Tuesday in a meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Though, it is touted in the corridors of the power, that this decision is taken to lure Shiv Sena for alliance in general as well as the assembly election, but the leaders said that Sena is not that cheap to accept BJP’s proposal of alliance in this cost.
A small function to hand over the documents of land to the trust will be organised on Wednesday, when Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sena president Uddhav Thackeray will share the dais.
Speaking to reporters in Mantralaya, finance minister Sudhir Mungan-tiwar said, “The relations of the Sena and BJP were and will always remain sweet and there are high chances of an alliance between both parties because the BJP has always been in favour of an alliance.”
He added, “Late Balasaheb Thackeray was not only a leader of the Sena but also a leader of this alliance. He will remain a person of high importance for all political parties. Therefore, in Rs 100 crore has been approved for his memorial in today’s cabinet, which will inspire the youth.”
Industry minister and senior Sena leader Subhash Desai said that the Mumbai Metropoli-tan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) will be planning and implementing agency for this project. A tender will be invited by MMRDA in next week. The actual work will begun before the announcement of the model code of conduct.
Mr Desai said that the groundbreaking ceremony would not take place; only Ganesh Pujan will be performed on Wednesday. He also said, “No alteration will be done in the mayor’s bungalow as it is a heritage structure. We will showcase all the memoirs and photographs of the Shiv Sena supremo in the memorial.”
A rift between the Shiv Sena and the BJP had widened in last couple of months. As the general election is just less than 70 days, the BJP wants form an alliance with the Sena.