MUMBAI, Nov. 13 -- Rather than face the music from opposition political parties, the Central Railway has pulled the Bhojpuri soundtracks being played at various suburban railway stations and rail terminuses on the eve of the Chhath Puja festival. The decision was taken only hours after the Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirma Sena (MNS) publicly voiced their opposition to the "imposition of North Indian culture on Maharashtra". Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut also alleged it was an attempt by the BJP-led NDA government to woo North Indian voters ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections in March next year. Central Railway officials said the Railway Board had issued instructions to play Bhojpuri music at terminuses and stations " to create a festive atmosphere". "The railway plays songs, jingles and awareness messages over the public address system at suburban stations, and at CSMT and Lokmanya Tilak Terminus every day. This week, we were playing North Indian music," a CR official said. Every year, the railway runs special trains from these terminuses to accommodate North Indian migrants, who return en masse to their hometowns to celebrate Chhath Puja. The festival, being observed from November 13 to 16, is celebrated largely in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. However, the Bhojpuri music hit a raw nerve with the Sena (UBT) and MNS, which have consistently played the "anti-North Indian" card in their sons-of-the-soil politics in Mumbai and elsewhere in Maharashtra. Mumbai has a sizable population of North Indian migrants but these parties have historically objected to "outsiders" allegedly taking away the jobs of Maharashtrians. The situation escalated when Raut warned against practising Uttar Pradesh's election-driven politics in Mumbai, insisting Chhath Puja remain a festival rather than a political tool. Questioning why railways played Bhojpuri songs instead of Vande Mataram-noting they do not play music during Diwali, Eid, or Christmas-he sparked broader opposition. Sena (UBT) BMC corporator and former mayor Kishori Pednekar accused the Centre and state governments of trying to alter the state's cultural identity, adding that the high-decibel music violated noise pollution rules. Meanwhile, MNS corporator and city chief Yashwant Killedar stated that Central Railway stopped playing the songs after Maharashtra Navnirman Railway Kamgar Sena chief Jitu Patil met the divisional railway manager. Opposing BJP leaders' push to use the historic Banganga Tank instead, he urged the D Ward assistant municipal commissioner to block the event to prevent pollution of the tank....