In March 2019, the BJP-led government in Mumbai published an ordinance proposing a property tax exemption

On March 10, 2019, ahead of the State Assembly Elections, the BJP-led government issued an ordinance waiving property taxes for residential buildings or tenements with a 'carpet' area of 46.45 sq mt (500 sq ft) or less, suggesting a change to the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act. The Shiv Sena was a junior partner in the government of Devendra Fadnavis. The waiver was proposed for residential buildings or tenements with an area of 46.45 sq mt (500 sq ft) or less in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) records on January 1, 2019, or for which the BMC has granted permission to occupy, allowing the area to be occupied after the ordinance takes effect.

Meanwhile, the BJP-Shiv Sena government failed to get it passed in the state legislature, resulting in Shiv Sena's promise in its 'vacannama' made during the 2017 BMC elections not being fulfilled. Following that, the Shiv Sena and the BJP split over the question of equal sharing of the Chief Ministership and portfolios, and the Sena joined forces with the NCP and Congress to establish the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Following CM Uddhav Thackeray's declaration, opposition leader and former CM Devendra Fadnavis slammed him and the Maha Vikas Aghadi government. "The election year of 2022 has finally arrived, bringing the promise of 2017 to fruition! In a tweet, he quipped, "Better late than never."

In the run-up to the BMC elections, the government, which is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, granted a waiver. Thackeray has urged the City Development Department to put the waiver into effect immediately, even though it was proposed in April. The Governor's signature on the proposed ordinance, on the other hand, is critical, especially given the widening rift between the Raj Bhavan and the state administration.

Image Courtesy: Twitter@Dev_Fadnavis