India, Dec. 16 -- Five days after deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde told the Assembly that the state would frame rules for the redevelopment of old pagdi buildings, describing it as a step towards making Mumbai pagdi-free, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray on Monday slammed the Mahayuti government for making misleading announcements to appease voters ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections to favour builders and landowners at the cost of long-time residents.

Addressing a press conference, Thackeray urged Mumbaiites not to "succumb to false promises" and claimed the government's real intent was to push ordinary residents out of the city. "Try to understand the truth behind these announcements. They want to...