In light of the absence of big-scale celebrations over the last 2 months, BJP has launched buses and a train for people returning home from the festival, and has organized an award for the most beautiful pandal.
Mumbai: Having defeated the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government this year , with the aid of Shiv Sainiks, the rebel Shiv The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Maharashtra is taking on a major scale in the Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in order to attract people.
With the vital Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections set to be held later this year in the near future, it appears that the BJP is focusing its energy on securing this Mumbai city’s civic authority, which is believed to be the country’s most prosperous as well as the most prosperous, out of the Shiv Sena, which has been in control for the past 25 years.
The 10 days Ganesh festival, which is among the biggest in Maharashtra, kicked off on Wednesday and will be held on a massive scale across Maharashtra after an absence of two Covid-ridden years.
The BJP has erected banners in Mumbai and has introduced special trains and buses to accommodate the ‘Marathi manoos returning home from their homes in the Konkan region to celebrate the festival. It also organized an award for the most beautiful Ganesh pandal, under the banners of their Mumbai unit.
In a defiant attack against the deposed MVA government Some banners from the BJP’s campaign praise Premier Narendra Modi as well as Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, saying “Our government is in power now, Hindu festivals are out of trouble now”.
It was reported that the MVA Government had announced restrictions on celebrations of a large scale in the state because of Covid. But, this year it was announced that the Eknath Shinde Fadnavis’ government declared that every festival would be celebrated without limitations.
“This is the largest Ganeshotsav event in Mumbai. The Akhil Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mahsangh holds the competitions annually however, this year, BJP Mumbai has participated to make it more grand,” said BJP MLA Prasad Lad in the press conference on Monday.
Talking to ThePrint, Ashish Shelar, BJP Mumbai president, said: “Every year we do these kinds of things. This year, however, we’re performing it at a massive scale. We are convinced that we have to help our Konkani people as we do each year.”
But another BJP leader who declined to be named said that the BJP has sounded the bugle to call the BMC elections. This is why the celebrations were so grand.
The Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to arrive in Mumbai on September 5 and visit Lalbaugcha Raja Lalbaugcha Raja, an extremely adored Ganesh idols in Mumbai. The minister is also expected have meetings with the most important BJP members as well as meet chief minister Eknath Shinde on his visit.
300 buses, ‘Modi Express’
The Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM announced the flagging off 300 buses, organised through BJP Mumbai, for people who are traveling to Konkan villages in Mumbai.
“Many Konkani people who work in Mumbai visit their villages at no price during Ganesh festival. We, the BJP have therefore created special buses to make sure that they can travel with ease,” said Fadnavis, interviewing media on Tuesday.
In addition, local BJP groups in suburbs of Mumbai as well, have set up buses for the individuals to go to their homes and villages for the celebration.
In addition to buses, a special “Modi Express’ train ceremonially flagged off on Tuesday with MLA Nitesh Rane to honor devotees who travel between Dadar towards Sindhudurg to Konkan.
In the city Ganesh Chaturthi pandals are scheduled to be part of a contest organized by BJP Mumbai for best pandal to win cash prizes -three lakh rupees for the top prize for the first prize, the second prize is Rs 1.5 million for the second prize place, and Rs 75,000 for the top prize. Pandals are judged according to the top idol, the most beautiful decor, and most clean surroundings.
In addition, 11 participants will also receive consolation prizes worth $11,000, and all participants taking part will receive an official certificate of participation. A specific website is designed to allow participants to sign up to participate in the competition.
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