Hungry for power, Sena woos voters with Marathi burger

Mumbai: Legislative Assembly elections in Maharashtra are a year away but Shiv Sena has planned to woo the 'Marathi manoos', via the stomach.

The saffron party is organising a 'Vada pav sammelan' sponsored by multinational giants McDonald's and Coca Cola, on Monday where people can taste the 'Marathi burger' cooked by 27 vendors to pick the best.

The best vada pav, to be picked in presence of Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray, will be launched on Sena Chief Bal Thackeray's birthday on January 23 under the 'Shiv Vadapav' brand.

The exercise aims to standardise the recipe and provide a permanent means of livelihood to vendors, mostly Shiv Sainiks. The Sena is expected to use its power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to provide licences to vendors.

At tomorrow's event at Shivaji Park, there will be 27 vendors, 25 from Mumbai and one each from Baramati (Pune) and Karjat (Thane).

Sanjay Gurav, President of the Maharashtra Vadapav Vikreta Sena, affiliated to the Shiv Sena, said the event will decide the best vada pav recipe. "We will select top five vendors, monitor their consistency in taste and hygiene and finally select one for the Shiv Vadapav brand."