Shiv Sena, other parties boycott PM Narendra Modi's 'Smart City' programme in Pune

PUNE: BJP's ally Shiv Sena and other political parties here today boycotted the event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his government's flagship 'Smart City mission' in 20 cities.

Pune Mayor Prashant Jagtap attended the programme for the sake of protocol, but his party, NCP, alongwith Sena, MNS and Congress, boycotted it.

Shiv Sena is a ruling alliance partner of BJP in Maharashtra and a part of the NDA. However, the relations between the two allies are strained, especially in the last few days when state-level leaders of both parties traded barbs at each other.

Yesterday, leaders of NCP, Congress, Shiv Sena and MNS in accused BJP of hijacking the PM's programme and slammed the Centre for not following protocol as the invitation cards did not have the name of the Mayor.

Jagtap, however, later agreed to attend after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis spoke to him over phone.

Local NCP leaders stayed away from the event, saying that the PM had not even once visited Maharashtra when it was reeling under drought, and that he came only when civic elections were round the corner.