Cousins vow to provide voters with more property tax exemptions, financial assistance to the youth and domestic workers, sports centre, among other things if Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance is voted to power
MNS leader Amit Thackeray (left) with cousin and Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar. Pic/Ashish Raje
Taking a leaf out of the Mahayuti’s Assembly poll playbook to woo voters, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are now making similar welfare promises ahead of the high-stakes Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections.
On Friday, Thackeray cousins Aaditya and Amit outlined their plans for the civic polls at Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar. According to their presentation, if the Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance is voted to power, it will roll out a slew of incentives, including property tax exemption for flats up to 700 square feet, breakfast and lunch at R10, and monthly financial assistance of R1500 for domestic workers. Besides, the cousin brothers maintained that youths will be eligible for up to R1 lakh in financial assistance. They even talked about developing a mini sports centre in Mumbai and ensured affordable BEST transport fares.
Residential flats in Mumbai with a carpet area of up to 500 square feet are fully exempt from all components of property tax. Now, with upcoming municipal elections to woo voters, political parties are promising to raise the existing exemption slab to 700 square feet.
Amit assured of setting up a big library (granthalaya) in the name of Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. His brother and MLA from the Worli Assembly constituency, Aaditya, categorically mentioned that “our Mumbai mayor will have to be always on his toes, as we will be behind him to ensure effective implementation of the plans”.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Raj Thackeray-MNS will release their official joint manifesto on January 4 for the BMC elections.
After almost three years of delay, Mumbai is set to vote in the BMC elections, alongside 28 other state municipal corporations. The elections to the BMC, which has 227 electoral wards, are scheduled to be held on January 15, and votes will be counted the next day.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are set to formally kick off their campaign on Saturday (December 3) at a joint rally scheduled at the Worli Dome.
Jan 15
Day of polling
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