The document is not ready and is unlikely to be released at least until Tuesday, said party sources
BJP's manifesto for one of the most important Assembly Elections in Uttar Pradesh has not only released much ahead of the elections but also includes several interesting promises. However, the party has not yet released its manifesto for the upcoming BMC elections. The document is not ready and is unlikely to be released at least until Tuesday, said party sources.
The delay is despite the fact that stakes in the polls are very high, both politically and financially. Mumbai is India's richest local body with the budget of Rs 45,000 crore but the financial capital of the country grapples with perennial issues. Not only is Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis leading from the front, the party is set to contest the civic elections without the Shiv Sena after 20 years.
Party sources say, "A high level committee is burning the midnight oil to study the manifesto of other parties and chalk out some exclusive and appealing promises." Shiv Sena and NCP had released their manifesto few days ago. "Due to lack of clarity on party line, we have been left to fend for ourselves. I have prepared my banners keeping ward specific issues in mind," said a BJP candidate whose name was announced along with 190 candidates late Thursday night.
Until now, the party has made only one promise officially — "transparency" in the civic administration. The issue was being projected by the party last week as a major poll plank to corner the former ally Sena over "corruption" when the alliance was broken.
However, the issue failed to generate much noise among the public. Rivals also punched holes in the BJP claims as the latter itself had been at the helm of affairs in the BMC along with the Sena for the past two decades.
Meanwhile, the economic survey released on Tuesday lauded BMC as India's most transparent local body. Sena went to town to claim its "success" and challenged BJP over its jibe.
Portable, eco-friendly and electronically cleaned "e-toilets", pothole-free roads, better public health system and people-friendly commuter services are expected to be part of the BJP's manifesto, say party insiders.
Downplaying the matter, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said, "there is still a lot of time. Manifesto will be released by Tuesday." Due to dearth of candidates, the BJP has given 35 seats to dalit and farmers parties which hardly have any influence in Mumbai.
The lack of good candidates has forced the party to share 25 seats with RPI (A), six with Rashtriya Samaj Paksha and four with Shiv Sangram of the total 227 seats in Mumbai. Madhav Bhandari however claims, "We gave them the seats as they are our partners."
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "BJP")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}