MNS workers split over Seven Hills hospital opening

The Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) seems to in a state of confusion.

On the one hand, a section of party workers has threatened to not allow the inauguration of Seven Hills super specialty hospital at Marol in Andheri (East), and on the other hand some workers are trying to get party president Raj Thackeray to inaugurate the hospital.

Last year, the MNS had twice taken a morcha to the hospital, demanding jobs for locals. The party claimed that the hospital management was ready to accept their demands, but they were not satisfied and so have threatened a stir.

Also, the Shiv Sena has issued a warning to the hospital, asking them to keep 20% beds reserved for the poor. The MNS is worried that the Sena might score over them on the hospital issues.

“We want jobs for the locals of Andheri at the hospital, but the hospital management has overlooked our demand. They have recruited nurses from Andhra Pradesh and labourers from Bihar. If they still continue to ignore our demands we will not allow the hospital’s inauguration to take place,” said Rohan Sawant, a MNS official.

However, some MNS officials took the hospital’s chairman and managing director Dr Jitendra Das Maganti to meet Thackeray at his Shivaji Park residence.

According to sources, Maganti is believed to have invited Thackeray for the inauguration as one of Thackeray’s close relatives has also shown interest in the hospital’s affairs.

But, Sawant argued that Thackeray himself had advocated the jobs for locals’ issue.

The hospital is likely to be inaugurated in July 4 and president Pratibha Patil is expected to be present for the ceremony. The hospital’s human resource department chief Pradeep Bapat could not be reached for comment on the issue.