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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Karnataka to witness heavy rain for next 10 days
Bengaluru: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast that the southwest monsoon will cause heavy rainfall likely this weekend and will drench Karnataka over the next 10 days.
The monsoon has begun retreating from northwestern India. Conditions remain active over the south, with an upper air trough extending up to 1.5 km over North Interior Karnataka and northern Tamil Nadu, combined with weakening monsoon winds across the peninsula, is driving the current spell. N. Puviarasan, head of the IMD’s meteorological centre in Bengaluru, said in a conversation with Deccan Herald, “As a result, the whole of Karnataka will see rain over the next week to 10 days."
With a cyclone in the Pacific Ocean along with a low-pressure system over the north Bay of Bengal, the monsoon is expected to intensify during the next four days. IMD has predicted heavy rains across South Interior Karnataka, including Bengaluru, throughout the weekend.
Bengaluru, recorded widespread moderate to heavy rainfall on Thursday. Between 8.30 am and 8.30 pm, Bengaluru city logged 45.9 mm of rain accompanied by thunderstorms. HAL airport registered 6 mm and the Bengaluru Urban automatic station recorded 47.5 mm. Doddathoguru, near Electronics City, reported 55 mm.
According to IMD forecast heavy rainfall will occur at isolated places in Bengaluru Urban, Bengaluru Rural, Yadgir, Koppal, Raichur, Ramanagara and Mandya districts in the next few days.
The southwest monsoon is now expected to extend until mid-October and with little or no break in between, the northeast monsoon is likely to follow immediately. These are expected to last until December. “There may be no break in between,” Puviarasan said.
