Mumbai: The mayoral election in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation proved a cakewalk for the Shiv Sena as its candidate Vishwanath Mahadeshwar won with a huge margin of 140 votes defeating Congress’ Vitthal Lokre.
The Bharatiya Janata Party had decided to support Mahadeshwar, but amidst the borrowed bonhomie, there were signs of unsavoury things as both parties indulged in heated sloganeering against each other during the elections.
For the record, Mahadeshwar became the 76th mayor of the city by securing 171 votes. He was supported by Sena (84) and its four Independent supporter corporators, BJP (82) and one Akhil Bhartiya Sena corporator. However, one Independent, Mumtaj Rehbar Khan, who had announced her support to the BJP, did not vote for Sena. The Nationalist Congress Party (9), SP (6) and one Independent remained neutral, whereas the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (7) and one All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) member abstained from the voting. Another AIMIM member was absent.
In the deputy mayor’s election, Sena’s Hemangi Worlikar defeated Congress’ Winnie D’Souza by 166-31 votes, as five votes were declared invalid.
