'Local leaders from Pune were against a Cong-NCP alliance'

Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan reiterates his promise of a Mumbai makeover, as he embarks on an ambitious campaign to dislodge the Shiv Sena-BJP in the BMC. In an interview, he tells Shubhangi Khapre that he will seek people support through the development, and not emotive, plank.

Q: Why did the Congress allow deputy CM Ajit Pawar to get away with his adamant position on alliances outside Mumbai?
A: That’s not true. In Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, local leaders from both sides were against an alliance, while in Nashik, Thane, Ulhasnagar and Nagpur, local leaders were for it. In Nagpur, Congress is contesting from 119 seats and NCP from 29, while in Nashik and Thane, we are equal partners.

Q: Will the Congress-NCP alliance, with its inbuilt friction, work in the BMC elections?
A: Initially, doubts were being raised about the alliance. My idea was to unite all UPA partners to give a tough fight to the NDA in the state. Unless we are able to keep our secular vote bank intact, it won’t be possible to defeat the communal forces that have been governing the BMC for 17 years.

Q: Your critics in the Congress feel you gave in to NCP’s terms with respect to alliance.
A: I am willing to pay a price to keep the secular forces (Congress, NCP) together to throw out the communal forces (Sena, BJP) from Mumbai. In the 2007 BMC elections, Congress and NCP fought separately giving Sena-BJP the opportunity to return to power. I don’t want the division of secular votes to ruin our electoral prospects. At the same time, Congress being the larger party has more stakes than NCP. The mayor will be from Congress.

Q: Is the Congress seeking MNS help to split Sena votes?
A: We are poised in such a manner that we believe MNS is going to compete with Shiv Sena, which works to our advantage. But we are heading confidently to the polls on our own merit.

Q: You are leading the BMC elections. Why is the Congress banking solely on you to deliver the results?
A: I have taken up the responsibility because I believe that you can’t run the BMC with such casual politics. If we have a tough administration and transparency, we can overhaul the city’s image. The BMC, with a massive budget of Rs24,000 crore, can’t be allowed to go downhill. Be it the tendering process or awarding of contracts, there are huge leakages which need to be plugged. After taking charge I was shocked to learn that the BMC accounts had not been audited for last three years. It was my decision to post Subodh Kumar as municipal commissioner to fix some of the problems.

Q: Isn’t the government equally responsible?
A: Yes. There are some long pending projects which have been brushed under the carpet. Development of Dharavi, Mumbai Trans Harbour Link, Mihan project in Nagpur, development rules in housing sector, storm water drain, housing for mill workers have all been languishing for more than a decade. I have decided to take them to their logical end.

Q: The Democratic Front government has earned the tag of being pro-builders in the eyes of the public.
A: I am determined to correct this image through policy decisions and make it a pro-people government. My government has already made reforms in the housing sector, and made developers more accountable to the public money. There is a reservation of 20% houses for society’s weaker sections.

Q: How do you explain the generous floor space index (FSI) policy that has overburdened city’s civic amenities?
A: Mumbai is a city in league with Tokyo, Hong Kong and Shanghai. If we study these cities, we will realise that the FSI sanctioned there is much higher, up to 10. There is no alternative to the vertical growth of Mumbai because of lack of space. The ubiquitous slums will have to be accommodated in buildings to acquire land originally meant for gardens, hospitals, schools and roads. In Shanghai, it takes them just 24 hours to complete slum rehabilitation. In Mumbai, we have to gradually approach every problem.

Q: What about the transformation of Mumbai into an international financial centre?
A: It will require major amendments in financial laws by the Centre. And that will take time. From my side, I can only take up the matter with the central government.

Q: What’s your take on the Marathi-versus-migrant plank in the BMC polls?
A: I believe in pursuing the development plank.

Q: Are north Indian migrants safe in Mumbai?
A: As the head of the government it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of every citizen. Why make any distinction?