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For once, keeping aside the Mee Marathi Manoos agenda, the Shiv Sena has taken up a issue close to the Mumbaikars and have rightly struck the chord with them this time.
Tormented by the ascending electricity bill, Sena took to the streets on the Western Express Highway to protest against power firm, Reliance Infrastrauture Limited.
After its humiliating rout in Mumbai in the recent Lok Sabha elections, the party is desperately seeking to take up genuine and noble issues, which concern the average Mumbaikar. The violent protest was a result of the widespread resentment against Reliance for hiking power bills by up to four times.
Amar Choudhury (25), software engineer and resident of Malad recieved a bill of Rs 8,500 which is Rs 4,000 more than his normal electricity bill. He is in favour of the Sena agitation and said, "For the first time the Sena did the right thing by taking up a issue connected to the life of a common man."
Mumbaikars often fail to take up issues on their own due to lack of time and are happy that Sena is fighting for their cause.
Jonathan Chandekar (29), a musician and resident of Borivali, said, "The electricity bill has shot up like anything. I got a bill of Rs 7000. Usually my bill is around Rs 3500 per month. With our busy schedule it becomes hard to take this matter with the authorities. But now I am happy the Shiv Sena is doing the needful for us."
However few Mumbaikars feel these are pre-election poll tactics by the Sena to win people's confidence.
Nishita Nair (26) said, "Earlier, Uddhav Thackeray showed keen interest in the cities nullah cleaning drive before the onset of monsoon. But I am happy that instead of fighting on agendas like the Marathi manoos and UP v/s son of the soil, they are now taking up the actual issues."
The event that unfolded...
On Monday evening, a mob of around 400-500 Shiv Sena activists gathered at the Reliance Energy office at Vakola, Santracurz, with a representation against the proposed hike in tariff by the Reliance management. Soon the mob turned violent and the situation turned volatile.
The Vakola police, who registered a case of rioting, said the mob burnt a truck compelling the police to resort to lathicharge. But Shiv Sena activists say the lathicharge was unprovoked.
Sena plans to take up the matter in the assembly today. "We have sent a proposal on the rising electricity bills and will discuss this issue in the assembly today," said Anil Parab, MLC. | 
