Ahead of Lok Sabha polls, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is under scanner with the Opposition alleging that the Shiv Sena leaders are misusing corporation funds to fight elections.
Sena candidate from Mumbai South Central Rahul Shewale, who has replaced veteran leader Manohar Joshi, is already at an advantage as he has Rs. 40 crore to spend on projects in his constituency. Shewale, a three-time corporator, also holds the powerful position of standing committee chairman of the cash rich civic body BMC.
Infact, the Opposition is alleging that the Sena corporators have used their brute majority in the standing committee to get projects worth crores of rupees with an eye on elections.
The Sena-BJP combine has been out of power in the state for more than a decade is leaving no stone unturned now.
Member of the Standing Committee Rais Shaikh said, “This is a clear violation of the municipal laws. These funds have been taken from various departments and have been arbitrarily distributed among the Sena leaders for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.”
The Sena-BJP combine has been out of power in the state for more than a decade and with 2014 their best shot at regaining power they are leaving no stone unturned.
Mumbai Mayor Sunil Prabhu has been allocated Rs. 11 crore and leader of the House Yashodhar Phanse Rs. 10 crore. Last month, the standing committee increased the development fund for all 227 corporators from Rs. 40 lakh to Rs. 1 crore.
Shewale said, “I haven’t misused any funds. South Central corporators had asked for special funds.”
The Opposition in the BMC has cried foul as the best they could manage was Rs. 2.5 crore and the MNS hasn’t been allocated a penny from the additional fund.
