Mumbai: BMC gives all parties a selfie point

All three political parties will have a selfie point in Dadar 50 feet apart. File pic

Recognising the risk in giving the selfie point to any one political party, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday played it safe and gave permission to the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena to build selfie points in Dadar. The announcement comes a day after MNS and BJP were seemingly getting into the middle of a political tug-of-war over a selfie point in Dadar.

The tussle had commenced on Thursday, a day after MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande announced the closing of the selfie point due to inadequate funds. BJP then received permission from BMC to revamp the point as their own, following which Deshpande took a stark U-turn, saying he will continue maintaining his ‘baby' after all. Meanwhile, rumours had it that the Shiv Sena was also eyeing the selfie point.

BMC says
However, BMC on Friday put the matter to rest by granting permission to all the three parties for having their respective selfie points in the same area. It has stated that the new ones should be built within 50 feet of each other. While MNS would continue with its selfie point on the same spot, BJP would have one some distance away. Sena might have its spot outside the Scout Pavilion. However, there is no official confirmation over it.

The BMC's G-North ward officer Ramakant Biradar confirmed the decision. He said, "All three parties have been granted permission for the selfie points. But if the BMC wants to bring any change for these spots, it will."

Welcome decision
Reacting to the development, MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande said, "We welcome the decision of the corporation. We are not against other parties having their selfie points. It is just that we didn't want them to encroach on our spot." BJP leader Ashish Shelar said, "We are happy that the people of Mumbai are getting more such facilities."

Shiv Sena corporator from Dadar Vishakha Raut confirmed Sena would also have a selfie point. "Being the local corporator, I have all rights to build a selfie point," she said and added, "Me and my team will take a call on how to go about with the plan once I am back in the city."