KALYAN: Ahead of the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said that the polls will be contested under the Mahayuti alliance, asserting that speculation and political statements from outside should be ignored.“Whatever is being said elsewhere should be ignored. The Mahayuti formula has been finalised and is in its final stage. Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis himself is taking the lead. I have held several meetings with Ravindra Chavan. Some parties may get more or fewer seats, but we will fight together and win. Our agenda is clear — to bring real change in the lives of people in Mumbai and Kalyan-Dombivli,” Shinde said while addressing a large public rally in Dombivli. He also held back-to-back rallies in Kalyan after Dombivli as part of preparations for the KDMC polls.Targeting the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Shinde questioned the opposition’s role during recent municipal council elections. “Where were you when workers were on the ground? You abandoned them repeatedly, while Mahayuti leaders were campaigning everywhere. We fought, we won, and we honoured our workers. A Shiv Sena worker is never left alone,” he said.Shinde also accused Thackeray brothers of exploiting Marathi identity and Mumbai’s name for power. “Mumbai is not a hen that lays golden eggs. It is the financial capital of the country and the pride of Maharashtra. People know who comes together only for power. Whether it is Mumbai, Kalyan or Dombivli, the saffron flag will continue to fly,” he asserted.Reiterating Shiv Sena’s ideological position, Shinde said Marathi pride, Hindutva and development remain inseparable. “Dombivli is not just a city; it is a centre of culture, ideology and Hindutva. Shiv Sena will never compromise on Hindutva for power,” he said.Shinde also outlined key development projects undertaken by the Mahayuti government in the region, including metro rail connectivity, ring road construction, double-decker flyovers and cement concrete roads. He announced that an international-standard vertical sports stadium at the Sawlaram Sports Complex is under construction and expected to be operational within 18 months.He further spoke about a 200-bed cancer hospital, redevelopment of Shastrinagar Hospital, and cluster redevelopment schemes to provide permanent housing to eligible residents.Addressing the gathering, Lok Sabha MP Shrikant Shinde stressed that Kalyan-Dombivli has historically stood firmly with the alliance. “Our workers have been working within the alliance for many years. Some people try to create confusion or throw obstacles within the alliance, but Dombivli is a stronghold of the alliance and a constituency that believes in Hindutva. That is why we have always remained committed to the alliance,” he said.Shrikant Shinde said neither he nor Eknath Shinde ji had ever spoken about breaking the alliance. “Whenever we have spoken, we have said only one thing — that the mayor in Kalyan-Dombivli will be from the alliance. Today, our MLAs, MPs and corporators are united. No one should attempt to weaken the Mahayuti, especially when so much development work has been carried out here,” he added.Taking dig at the Thackeray brothers, Shrikant Shinde questioned their claims of representing Marathi interests. “They speak about the Marathi identity and say they have united for the Marathi people. My question is — what have you actually done for the Marathi people? During your tenure, the Marathi population was pushed out of Mumbai because they could not afford homes,” he said.He alleged that Marathi families were forced to move to areas such as Kalyan, Ambernath and Karjat, while thousands continued to live in transit camps in Mumbai for 14 to 15 years without permanent housing. “If anyone has provided homes to the Marathi people, it is Eknath Shinde. Show even one project where you delivered housing for them,” he challenged.Shrikant Shinde also highlighted infrastructure improvements in the region, including flyovers, closure of railway crossings, metro expansion, ring road projects and 100% cement concrete roads in MIDC areas, saying the scale and pace of development were unprecedented.The rally concluded with calls to strengthen Shiv Sena and the Mahayuti alliance ahead of the civic elections, with leaders expressing confidence that the alliance would retain its dominance in Kalyan-Dombivli.
