Mumbai: Internal tensions have surfaced within the ruling Mahayuti alliance in BMC, after deputy mayor and Shiv Sena corporator Sanjay Ghadi accused BJP leaders, including mayor Ritu Tawde, of sidelining Sena members during the ongoing monsoon-preparedness inspections across the city. Tawde, however, denied any conflict and said that each elected representative should visit different areas of the city to speed up monitoring work.Speaking during a nullah inspection visit at the Safed Phul area in Saki Naka on Thursday, Ghadi said neither he nor Shiv Sena corporators were informed about the recent drain-cleaning inspection tours conducted by Tawde, also a BJP corporator. “The mayor carried out nullah safai inspection tours, but neither the deputy mayor nor Shiv Sena were informed. It is her prerogative, but she should have asked me to join…we both could have properly given instructions…regarding the desilting works,” said Ghadi, adding that there was a need for better coordination among the alliance partners. “I, however, did inform the mayor that I was going for a drain inspection visit on Thursday.“He added: “All desilting works should be completed by May 31, and we will follow up with the administration.”Responding to Ghadi’s allegations, Tawde told TOI that there’s no question of sidelining anyone. “Why should he be upset? There’s no compulsion that we need to give instructions together to the BMC administration…Instead the administration should take immediate cognisance when any instructions come whether from the mayor or deputy mayor,” she said.This is not the first sign of unease within the Mahayuti alliance in BMC. Ghadi referred to an earlier controversy during the inauguration of the Clean Mumbai League attended by actor Akshay Kumar, alleging that protocol norms concerning his seating arrangement as deputy mayor were not followed. Meanwhile, in Dahisar (E), Sena corporator Diksha Karkar climbed down a 10ft-deep drain in Manav Kalyan area on Thursday to review the desilting work. On Friday, BJP members, led by city party chief Ameet Satam, will conduct a nullah inspection visit in the western suburbs, said BJP leader in the BMC Ganesh Khankar.
