After Sena's 'will go alone in Navi Mumbai polls' warning, BJP minister Naik hits back
Thane, May 19 (PTI): Maharashtra minister and senior BJP leader Ganesh Naik on Monday said "no one needs to teach Navi Mumbaikars common sense", his comment being seen as a reply to Thane Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske who had claimed his party could fight the civic polls there alone.
Addressing a Sena gathering on Saturday night, Mhaske had said the civic polls will be contested by the Mahayuti but the Sena would fight independently in Navi Mumbai "if no one is ready to join the Shiv Sena-saffron alliance".
Navi Mumbai is a stronghold of the BJP, which is part of the Mahayuti alliance comprising the Sena as well as the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party.
Speaking to reporters after his 'janata darbar' here, Naik extolled the benefits people were getting in Navi Mumbai due to the civic body there.
Asked about Shiv Sena leaders asking him to solve water woes before taking such meetings, Naik said, "Navi Mumbai is a city that has not increased house rent or water rent for the last 25 years. The education, health, parks, solid waste management departments in Navi Mumbai are 100 times ahead of other cities. Therefore, there is no need to teach common sense to Navi Mumbaikars."
"People shout that there is no water in this village, that village. The water from our villages was stolen. See from where the water of Navi Mumbai was stolen, return the stolen water, then there will be no shortage of water in Navi Mumbai. Everyone knows who stole Navi Mumbai's water," he said without elaborating.
On the construction of the Navi Mumbai International Airport, Naik said it was not the responsibility of the civic corporation alone and highlighted the need for coordinated efforts in developing supporting infrastructure like elevated bridges, metro, railways and roads for a comfortable life for citizens.
He said the country was on the path to progress and happiness and "recent action", a reference to Operation Sindoor, has made not just Pakistan but the entire realise the "potential of Bharat".
"In future without blaming anyone it is better everyone carries out their responsibilities," he said in a swipe at detractors.
Lamenting the presence of corruption in various sectors, including politics, administration, media and "even law and judiciary", Naik said the need was for unity.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
