Mumbai, November 14: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena are at loggerheads again, this time for naming the Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway. While the Shiv Sena has demanded that the expressway be named after the founder of Shiv Sena, late Balasaheb Thackeray, the BJP is adamant is that the expressway should bear the name of former Prime Minister of India and BJP founding member, late Atal Bihari Vajpayee, said reports. Shiv Sena Loves Us ‘Secretly’, BJP Shows Affection Openly: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis.

The Mumbai-Nagpur Super Expressway is the pet project of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. But the project construction is undertaken by the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC). Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde is heading the MSRDC that is overlooking the project construction. BJP Will Get ‘Demonetization-Like’ Jolt in 2019 Elections: Shiv Sena.

A report in The Mumbai Mirror said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was given a letter by Eknath Shinde demanding that the expressway be named Balasaheb Thackeray Expressway. 'Ideologically Close' BJP & Shiv Sena Will Fight 2019 Assembly Elections Together, Hopes Devendra Fadnavis.

The 701- kilometre expressway is currently named as Samruddhi Mahamarg which means the prosperity road. It will reportedly pass through several districts linking Vidarbha and Marathwada to financial capital Mumbai.

The Mumbai Mirror report also said that though there is no official word on the BJP trying to name the Expressway after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, party spokesperson said that the CM will take a call on the issue when needed. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had earlier said that the state government has requested the Defence Ministry to declare Mumbai-Nagpur Samruddhi Expressway as a defence industry corridor, but did not speak on the issue of naming of the expressway.

He also announced that the contract for expansion of the Nagpur airport will be awarded within a month. Earlier, in an attempt to mend ties with the Shiv Sena, BJP MP from Mumbai North East constituency, Poonam Mahajan, had written a letter to CM Fadnavis and Home Minister Rajnath Singh to name the Bandra Terminus after Balasaheb Thackeray.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 14, 2018 05:01 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).