Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Sunday accused the BJP-led Maharashtra government of systematically eroding Mumbai’s economic prominence by favoring corporate interests, particularly the Adani Group, in projects like the Dharavi redevelopment. Speaking at a party event, Thackeray alleged that major projects and company headquarters are being shifted to Gujarat and Delhi, questioning the impact on Maharashtra’s economy. “How will Mumbai benefit when its economic backbone is deliberately weakened?” he asked, noting similar concerns raised in Jharkhand and Varanasi about Gujarat’s preferential treatment.

Thackeray demanded incentives for Mumbai akin to Gujarat’s GIFT City, arguing that the city’s financial stature is under threat. He also criticized the government for straining the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) bus service, reducing its fleet from 4,000 to 1,500-2,000 buses. “By 2027, we planned 10,000 electric buses, including 900 double-deckers. Now, even the iconic red buses are vanishing, turning into advertisement hoardings,” he said, linking this decline to a broader strategy to distract from issues like corporate land grabs.

Focusing on the Dharavi redevelopment, Thackeray claimed the Adani-led project would displace 1.5 lakh families, offering them only 305-square-foot homes that disrupt livelihoods. “This isn’t redevelopment; it’s exploitation,” he charged. The Supreme Court recently declined to stay the project, seeking responses from the state and Adani Properties, which won the Rs 5,069-crore tender, upheld by the Bombay High Court.

Thackeray accused the government of prioritizing corporate gains over public welfare, alleging vast Mumbai land transfers to Adani under the guise of redevelopment. “Mumbai has been India’s economic powerhouse for decades. We won’t let it lose its importance,” he asserted, vowing to fight for the city’s residents. “Earning wealth in Mumbai is fine, but looting Mumbaikars is unacceptable,” he added.