Election 'jumla': Maha LoP on lifting toll

"This is an election 'jumla' to fool people. Around Rs 800 crore will be given out of this to benefit someone, this is the politics behind it," Wadettiwar told reporters in Delhi.

UBT Sena MP Priyanka Chaturvedi also called this a desperate measure ahead of elections."Just now one more announcement has been made. ..After completely finishing the law and order situation in Maharashtra, now they have taken a new decision. Elections are going to be announced today or the day after and the model code of conduct will be imposed in Maharashtra. So as a last-minute desperate measure, they have removed the 5 tolls of Mumbai from 12 midnight. This is the way they are trying their best to stay in power," she said.Meanwhile, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Monday that the "historic decision" is a masterstroke that will save time and help in reducing pollution and traffic.

"At the Mumbai entry point, there used to be a traffic jam at the toll plaza. This was the demand of the people for the last several years. I am also happy that today, during my tenure as CM, lakhs of light motor vehicles have been exempted from toll. This will save their time, pollution will be reduced and there will be no traffic. This is a big historic decision; this is a masterstroke," Shinde said while talking to media persons.