Milind Deora 'still awaiting' Aaditya Thackeray's response to open debate dare

Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora has challenged Aaditya Thackeray to an open debate on Mumbai's development and governance, accusing him of avoiding the discussion.

In Short

• Milind Deora challenges Aaditya Thackeray for open debate
• Deora awaits Thackeray's response, highlighting empty chair
• Criticises 'speed breaker politics' and calls for dialogue

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora on Friday said that he has still not received any response from his Worli rival, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, regarding his challenge for an open debate on the "future of Mumbai, Worli, and Maharashtra".

"It has been 48 hours since I extended an invitation to Aaditya to discuss what he has done for Worli, Mumbai, and Maharashtra, as well as his plans moving forward," Deora said.

"I still haven't heard back from him. Until then, I’m keeping this chair empty for him," he added, pointing to an empty chair beside him.

Deora’s challenge comes amid heated campaigning for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections on November 20.

Highlighting key concerns for the Worli constituency, Deora emphasised that unresolved issues like housing and infrastructure require urgent attention. "In Worli, housing is a major issue, and so is Mumbai’s infrastructure," he noted.

He also took a jab at the current political climate, stressing the need to put an end to "speed breaker politics".

"The biggest issue, in my opinion, is that we must stop the politics of opposition for the sake of opposing. This is something that needs to end in Maharashtra," he added, suggesting that constructive dialogue is necessary to move the state forward.

Milind Deora first issued his challenge on Wednesday, responding to a previous post by Thackeray on X. In May, Thackeray had alleged that rivals were scared of open debates and that the police were being used to cancel such events in South Mumbai out of fear of clashes.

In response, Deora invited Thackeray, the sitting Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA from Worli, to a discussion on various issues, including delays in the Mumbai Metro and 30 years of 'misgovernance' by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

"Aaditya, considering you believe that '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," Deora tweeted.

Worli has traditionally been a stronghold for the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, with Thackeray securing the seat in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly polls.

Maharashtra, which has 288 Assembly seats, will vote in a single phase on November 20, with the counting of votes scheduled for three days later.