While BJP leaders, including heavyweight Nitin Gadkari, were in support of the proposal to construct a complex on prime mill land, a section of Congress leaders, including the newly-inducted Minister for Agriculture and Textiles Ranjit Deshmukh, strongly opposed the move.

In fact, it was Nitin Gadkari, guardian minister for Nagpur district in the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party alliance government, who had made the proposal. Gadkari, who also headed the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation (MSRDC), offered to construct the massive `Millennium Mall' complex having 2,400 shops and a garment zone through MSRDC.

But before the proposal could be implemented, the Democratic Front Government came to power replacing the saffron alliance in the State. Deshmukh, in his first press meet in the cityrecently, voiced his strong opposition to the project.

He even went to the extent of suggesting that large-scale irregularities were committed with the sole objective of assigning the multi-crore project to MSRDC.

Stating that the new government would review the project, he said if the project is approved by the DF Government then every possible measure like floating global tenders would be taken to ensure transparency.

Reacting sharply to Deshmukh's statement, BJP city unit has threatened to mobilise its cadre for popular agitation in support of the project.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday last, city BJP president Girish Vyas said the project would not only put Nagpur city on national and international trade and business map but also generate employment opportunities for local people.