BJP Wins Chandrapur Mayoral Poll with Shiv Sena (UBT) Support
Internal differences within the Congress over the formation of the civic body are believed to have provided an opening to the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Mumbai: The Congress on Tuesday accused the BJP of horse-trading after its mayoral candidate lost by a single vote in Chandrapur, despite the party emerging as the single largest in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation (CMC).
The BJP secured the mayor’s post with the support of Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators, while the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) — a Congress ally — abstained from voting. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal warned that the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s stand in Chandrapur could invite a reciprocal response from the Congress in other parts of the State.
Internal differences within the Congress over the formation of the civic body are believed to have provided an opening to the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT). The Congress emerged as the single largest party with 27 seats in the 66-member CMC, where 34 are required for a majority. The BJP followed with 23 seats, while the Shiv Sena (UBT) won six. The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, the VBA and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) secured one seat each, and two seats went to Independents in last month’s civic polls.
BJP MLA Kishor Jorgewar said the party had formed an alliance with the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the CMC and made it clear that the BJP would hold the mayor’s post. Sangita Khandekar was the BJP’s mayoral candidate.
Responding to questions about the power-sharing formula, Mr. Jorgewar said the mayor’s post would be shared between the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) under a two-and-a-half-year rotation, with each party holding the office for 1.25 years. As per the agreement, the BJP will hold the post first, followed by the Shiv Sena (UBT).
Ms. Khandekar won the mayoral election by a margin of one vote after two corporators from the VBA remained absent during the voting.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Chandrapur leader Sandip Girhe said the party had sought a share in the mayor’s post and held discussions with the Congress, including its leader Vijay Wadettiwar. “The Congress was not ready to share the mayor’s post. As a result, we joined hands with the BJP for the development of Chandrapur city,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sanjay Raut said party chief Uddhav Thackeray had instructed Chandrapur leaders not to support the BJP and to sit in the Opposition.
Mr. Sapkal alleged that the BJP won the mayoral election through horse-trading. “Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the INDIA alliance and should have supported the Congress. Instead, it supported the BJP, while the AIMIM remained neutral, indirectly helping the BJP,” he said. He added that the absence of VBA corporators during voting led to the BJP candidate’s narrow victory.
“The stand taken by Shiv Sena (UBT) in Chandrapur will inevitably have repercussions across the state. Should the Congress take a similar stand in Parbhani?” Mr. Sapkal asked.
He also alleged an “invisible alliance” between the BJP and AIMIM, claiming it had been exposed earlier in Anjangaon Surji, Akot and Achalpur. “By remaining neutral, AIMIM once again helped the BJP, reinforcing that the two are two sides of the same coin,” he said.
Mr. Sapkal said the Congress had made sincere efforts to bring the VBA on board and that a Congress mayor could have been elected had the party supported the alliance. He also denied reports of infighting within the Congress, stating that a report would be sought from party observers and discussed in detail.
