BEST Employees to Receive Rs 33,000 Diwali Ex Gratia Amid Political Row

BEST employees in Mumbai will receive a Rs 33,000 Diwali ex gratia payment, a move that sparked a political tussle between BJP and Shiv Sena allies within the undertaking. Traditionally, the Diwali bonus is announced jointly by the BEST committee chairperson and the general manager after formal approval. However, on Friday, BJP leader Prasad Lad met BEST general manager Sonia Sethi and publicly announced the payment at BEST Bhavan and via a tweet, claiming the decision followed discussions with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and sustained follow‑up with the BEST administration. Shiv Sena member Nitin Nandgaonkar criticized the move, stating that only the BEST committee chairperson can officially declare a bonus. BEST committee chairperson Trushna Vishwasrao of the Eknath Shinde‑led Shiv Sena expressed displeasure, noting that no official announcement had yet been made by the BEST administration and that established procedures should be followed. Later that evening, Vishwasrao held a news conference and formally announced that 22,654 BEST employees will receive the Rs 33,000 ex gratia on November 3, amounting to a total burden of Rs 75 crore for BEST. She said the decision was taken under the guidance of CM Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, providing festive relief to employees ahead of Diwali. For thousands of BEST employees and their families, the announcement means a brighter Diwali amid rising household expenses, comparable to what municipal employees receive. A senior BEST official noted that Friday’s bonus announcement may be remembered as much for the politics behind it as for the festive gift itself.