The recently proposed fee hike for Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Udyan and Zoo in Byculla has become a political battleground for former allies Shiv Sena and BJP, a report in this paper stated.

While BJP is opposing the fee hike and limited entry to the Byculla Zoo, Shiv Sena-led BMC is keen on clearing the proposal. The Congress, NCP, MNS and Samajwadi Party are also opposing the civic body's move. The fee hike needs to be looked at with a sense of balance. Most of all, it cannot become a political battleground or one more occasion of political opportunism, where each party tries to woo supporters and gain mileage riding on the back of Byculla zoo.