As COVID-19 cases spike in Mumbai, Govt sends BMC chief Praveen Pardeshi packing

Opposition BJP terms Praveen Pardeshi’s transfer as Bali Ka Bakra

Mumbai: As the number of COVID-19 positive cases keep on mounting in Mumbai, the Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government has on Friday effected a major bureaucratic reshuffle in the Shiv Sena ruled BrihanMumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC). In a sudden move BMC municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi (1985 batch) has been shunted out and replaced by Iqbal Singh Chahal (1989 batch). Predictably, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has slammed the Thackeray Sarkar accusing it of making the bureaucracy scapegoat for its political inefficiency.

In a major reshuffle at the Sena ruled BMC, BMC municipal commissioner Praveen Pardeshi has been posted as Additional Chief Secretary, Urban Development (1) in Mantralaya. In his place, I S Chahal who was principal secretary, Urban Development (1) has been elevated and posted as BMC municipal commissioner.

Ashwini Bhide (1995) who was earlier with the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (MMRCL) has posted as Additional Municipal Commissioner (AMC) in BMC. It may be recalled that the Sena had an axe to grind with Ashwini Bhide over her handling of the Mumbai Metro 3 project, especially the Metro 3 car shed at Aarey Milk Colony. Soon after coming to power, the MVA government of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray had removed her from her post.

Besides her, the government has appointed Sanjeev Jaiswal (1996) as AMC in the BMC. In doing so, the MVA government has shunted out AMC A L Jarhad (1997) from BMC and posted him as Secretary (Relief and Rehabilitation) in Revenue and Forest Department. While, another AMC Jayshree Bhoj (2003) in BMC has been posted as Managing Director of MSSIDC.

Predictably, senior most BJP BMC corporator and spokesperson Bhalchandra Shirsat in a tweet remarked “finally the bureaucracy has been made the scapegoat for the spread of corona virus. This was expected. By handing over the disaster management in Mumbai and Pune to the bureaucracy, the government has stamped on its political inefficiency”.

While, state BJP vice president Dr Kirit Somaiya remarked “due to Thackeray Sarkar handling Mumbai has become the Corona capital of the country. Praveen Pardeshi has been made a scapegoat, Bali Ka Bakra. Both the Guardian Ministers of Mumbai are accountable and one of the Guardian Minister of Thackeray Sarkar, his own constituency is the worst affected Corona constituency in India”.