Amid criticism by the Opposition ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’ (MVA) of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s ‘roadshow’ for global investors in Mumbai, Deputy Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that the U.P. CM’s visit was proof of Mumbai and Maharashtra’s strength and magnetism.
“It only goes to show that if anyone in the country wants to hold an industrial summit, they have no option but come to Mumbai. This itself is proof of the city’s as well as the State’s strength,” said Mr. Fadnavis, speaking in Pune.
He further said that no one could snatch industries away from Maharashtra.
“Every State has its strengths and natural advantages according to its geography. If we take Gujarat and Rajasthan, because of their vast desert spaces, they have a lot of land available and a result 3-4 lakh acres can be earmarked for certain projects there. So, green hydrogen projects go there as States like us do not have that free land. Hence, there is no need to be afraid [of big investments not coming to Maharashtra]… Whatever one says, India’s financial capital will always be Mumbai,” stressed Mr. Fadnavis, alluding to the Opposition MVA’s accusations of big-ticket projects deliberately being shifted out of Maharashtra to Gujarat and other BJP-ruled States.
Mr. Adityanath flagged off a roadshow to attract investments for the three-day global investors meet scheduled in Uttar Pradesh from February 10. The U.P. CM also met with bankers and heads of top financial institutions in Mumbai during the day and discussed investment opportunities and met with industry leaders and filmmakers as part of the roadshow.
Meanwhile, the MVA coalition of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena, the Congress and the NCP hit out at the U.P. CM’s Mumbai visit.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut dubbed Mr. Adityanath’s Mumbai visit “a political stunt” and questioned the need for Mr. Adityanath to hold a roadshow in Mumbai, while Maharashtra Congress chief Nana Patole called it “a conspiracy of the BJP to reduce Mumbai’s importance.”
“Yogi is welcome to come and discuss investment prospects for U.P... But what is the need for him to hold a roadshow in Mumbai? It is nothing but a political stunt and this must stop,” said Mr. Raut.
Noting that Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Fadnavis would be attending the upcoming World Economic Forum meet in Davos (in Switzerland), he said: “Do you expect them [Mr. Shinde and Mr. Fadnavis] to stage a roadshow on the streets of Davos to secure investment for the State? Then why does Yogi Adityanath need to do such a stunt in Mumbai?”
Mr. Patole alleged that after ‘sending’ industries to Gujarat, the BJP had hatched this cunning plan to transfer investments from Maharashtra to BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh.
“Yogi Adityanath has long had an eye on the film industry in Mumbai. Even earlier, many attempts were made by the BJP to take this industry to Uttar Pradesh. During our [MVA] government, many producers, actors and actresses were defamed and pressured while an attempt was made [on BJP’s part] to create an image that the Mumbai film industry is a den of drug addicts. Once again, an attempt is being made to shift the film industry to Uttar Pradesh and this is being helped by the Shinde-Fadnavis government in the State,” alleged Mr. Patole.
Accusing the U.P. CM of “practising the politics of religious polarisation”, Mr. Patole questioned what businessman would dare to invest in a State where the government was run in the name of religion.
“The MVA government was overthrown only to increase investment in the BJP-ruled States of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh and to reduce Maharashtra’s importance,” he said.
