Let's talk about Worli: Milind Deora's open debate challenge to Aaditya Thackeray

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora challenged his Worli rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray to participate in an open debate with him and discuss pressing issues concerning the development of Mumbai and Maharashtra.

In Short

• Milind Deora slams Mumbai civic body's 30-year 'misgovernance', metro delays
• Aaditya Thackeray claimed police cancelled debates due to fear of clashes
• Milind Deora to face Aaditya Thackeray from Worli in Maharashtra Assembly polls

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora, the party's Worli candidate, on Wednesday challenged his rival and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray to have an open debate with him on the 'future of Mumbai's Worli and Maharashtra'. Deora reacted to Thackeray's X post in May, in which he had alleged that rivals were scared of an open debate and police were being used to cancel such events in South Mumbai due to fear of clashes.

Deora, in his post, challenged Thackeray, the sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli in south Mumbai to discuss issues, including Mumbai Metro delays and 30 years of 'misgovernance' by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Mumbai civic body.

"Aaditya, considering you think 'someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum', I invite you to have an open debate about the future of Worli, Mumbai and Maharashtra. Let's also talk about @mybmc's 30-year misgovernance, Mumbai Metro delays, Mahalaxmi Racecourse and the Sachin Vaze scandal's impact on Maharashtra's economy," he tweeted.

"Worlikars should decide whether 'speed-breaker politics' or 'progress without speed limits' is the best way forward for our city and state," he said.

On May 12, Thackeray alleged that two debate events between South Mumbai Lok Sabha candidates Arvind Sawant (Shiv Sena [UBT]) and Yamini Jadhav (Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena) were cancelled at the 'last-minute' apparently by the police due to 'fear of political workers clashing' and timing of permission needed for hosting the debates.

"Between yesterday and today, two events where citizens (part of 2 ALMs/ RWA/ citizen associations) could have watched South Mumbai Candidates debate face to face, and be asked questions by the citizens have been cancelled. The cancellation was last-minute, apparently by the police, one in the name of 'fear of political workers clashing' and the other for timing of permissions," he had said.

"Has it come to this that civil debates won't be allowed by agencies? Their duty is to prevent untoward incidents, not prevent debate. South Mumbai MP- Candidate @AGSawant ji was ready and is ready for the debate and open questions. Guess who is using agencies to cancel these debates?" he had said.

"Someone who is scared of an open debate with rival candidates is not worthy of being in any public forum, the Parliament being the highest. Chalo, let's have another go at it. This is South Mumbai's tradition of debates. Will it happen again or will the police be told to say it is worried about clashes? We promise absolutely no clashes," he had added.

Deora, who joined the Shinde-led Sena in January after severing his five-decade-old ties with the Congress, then said he had participated in candidate debates in South Mumbai for over 20 years and said the tradition should be protected.

"It is a tradition we must protect. But suggesting that Mumbai Police canceled these debates due to political pressure is not just immature but also an insult to our exemplary police force. The Mumbai South Mahayuti candidate (Yamini Jadhav) is prepared for a debate. If resident associations can’t host it, I invite the media to step up," Deora wrote.

In an exclusive interview with India Today on Monday, Deora described his high-stakes electoral contest against Thackeray from Worli as a "political battle" and not "personal". He called the junior Thackeray an 'outsider' and accused him of hindering development in Mumbai and Maharashtra through his "speed-breaker politics".

Worli has been a stronghold of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction and was won by Thackeray in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Maharashtra, which has 288 Assembly seats, will vote in a single phase on November 20. Counting of votes will be taken up three days later.