MNS threatens to kidnap senior BMC official if potholes near Dadar aren’t fixed

In a bid to win public support for the upcoming BMC elections, Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had threatened to kidnap a BMC official if the potholes in and around Dadar aren’t fixed.

The party has reportedly issued a letter to the Assistant Municipal Commissioner Ramakant Biradar, threatening him that the party will not release him till all potholes under his jurisdiction are filled. Biradar is in charge of G-North Ward which includes areas like Dadar West, Mahim, Dharavi etc.

The letter, signed by MNS leader Sandip Deshpande, reads, “There is complete negligence. If you don’t respond, we will kidnap you and hold you to ransom till the municipal commissioner doesn’t repair the potholes. Take this letter seriously”. It further lists the road that are in dire need of repairs and elaborates on how the faulty roads are inconveniencing residents from the area.

Deshpande maintains that despite complaints pouring in, the BMC has ignored the citizen’s plight. He is also adamant about kidnapping the official, although as a last resort, if things don’t change immediately.

When contacted, an official from the BMC who wished to remain anonymous said, “Threatening to kidnap a senior BMC official is no joke. If their party takes any action against Biradar, we will ensure stern action is taken against the party workers. In fact, we may approach the police pre-emptively on the basis of their letter and demand action.”

He also stated that the civic body is working overtime to ensure that the pothole repair work is completed on time. However, heavy rains have made their job a little difficult. “G-Ward has a very good track record when it comes to responding to citizen’s complaints. If they would have simply approached us with the list of potholes, we would have surely repaired them in the least possible time,” he added.

BMC chief Ajoy Mehta remained unavailable for comment.