India, Aug. 4 -- The Atmanirbhar Chaha stalls, established to sell tea and snacks and promoted by the Mumbai unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are on the verge of closure following the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) hawker-free drive after the party-led regime took charge of the civic body earlier this year.

Of the over 100 flourishing stalls, more than 50 shut down recently, while the remaining shop owners live in fear of imminent closure.

The brand -- Atmanirbhar Chaha - took its name from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Atmanirbhar Bharat slogan. Conceived by former BJP OBC Morcha chief Narendra Gaonkar, the initiative gained momentum after the Covid-19 pandemic, with over 100 party workers being allotted stalls in ...