Raj meets Fadnavis, says it was to present a parking plan for Mumbai

MNS chief Raj Thackeray met CM Fadnavis to discuss city parking issues after a panel election loss, sparking speculation about a potential alliance.

MUMBAI: A day after a panel sponsored by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) lost the BEST employees credit cooperative society election, MNS chief Raj Thackeray called on chief minister Devendra Fadnavis at the latter’s official residence on Thursday, leading to much speculation on whether the Thackeray cousins’ much-speculated-on alliance would now fructify.

Raj meets Fadnavis, says it was to present a parking plan for Mumbai

Raj, however, told media persons at his Dadar residence that he had met Fadnavis to submit a plan on parking in the city since traffic congestion and the resultant parking mess was becoming a serious issue. His plan entails parking lots under maidans. The MNS chief also criticised the government on the poor road work, lack of urban planning and the land being gifted to the Adani Group for the Dharavi Redevelopment Project. “Instead of going on about ‘Urban Naxals’, they should look at urban planning,” he quipped.

Slamming the protests against banning pigeon-feeding spots in the city, Raj said, “Are people important or pigeons? This is being turned into an issue for political reasons while we are ignoring the real issues.”

The MNS chief said that the redevelopment mania in Mumbai, Pune, Thane, Nashik and other cities was rife with illegalities. “A plot that housed 50 people is now housing 500,” he said. “People, cars and traffic are increasing and everything is spilling out onto the streets. Roads and space are limited. If a solution is not found, things are going to get worse. No one is paying attention to these basics.”

Raj avoided answering questions on the defeat of the Sena (UBT) and MNS panel in the BEST cooperative society elections. First claiming that he was not aware of the results, he later said dismissively that it was a small patpedhi (credit society) election anyway.

The Sena (UBT) has sought to downplay the Raj-Fadnavis meeting. The party’s deputy leader Sushama Andhare said, “The MNS is a separate party and we can’t filter whom they can and can’t meet. Uddhav saheb and Raj saheb have come together on a common bond and trust. We can’t attach political motives to the meeting.”