Mumbai : Maharashtra politics never fails to throw up surprises. The recently concluded municipal corporation elections have turned the state into a maze of changing alliances. Such a scenario played out in Kalyan-Dombivli, where the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena kept aside its bitter rivalry with Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to stitch up an alliance.
The BJP put up a strong show, winning 50 seats in what is perceived to be a bastion of Shinde. While the Shinde Sena secured 53 seats, the MNS won five. Uddhav Thackeray’s Sena faction won 11 seats. The magic number needed by a party or coalition to govern the KDMC is 62. Even though the Shiv Sena and the BJP are part of the ruling Mahayuti in Maharashtra, the two parties have locked horns to wrest the mayor’s post in Kalyan-Dombivli.
The Sena (UBT) has gone into action mode, directing all its elected representatives to remain present for group formation meetings. The party has issued a stern warning that failure to attend these meetings could invite legal consequences. Kalyan district president Sharad Patil personally visited the residences of both councillors and served them formal notices.
Patil said that out of the 11 corporators from the party, two were currently not reachable. “We have issued written notices asking them to attend the group formation meeting. The letters clearly mention that if they fail to remain present, action will be initiated, including possible disqualification from the councillor post,” he said.
Shiv Sena emerged as the single largest party with 53 councillors, followed closely by BJP with 50 seats. Shiv Sena (UBT) secured 11 seats, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) five, Congress seats, and NCP (SP) one. Shiv Sena and the BJP had contested the elections together as part of the Mahayuti alliance. BJP leaders have been advocating a power-sharing arrangement, proposing that the mayor’s post be shared equally, with a two-and-a-half-year term each.
Former BJP MLA Narendra Pawar said the electorate had given a clear mandate to the Mahayuti alliance. “The people have voted decisively in favour of the Mahayuti, and therefore we are demanding that BJP be given the first two-and-a-half-year term of the mayor,” he said, adding that the final decision would be taken by senior leaders of the alliance.
Pawar also dismissed claims that Shiv Sena was trying to form the civic body on its own. “We have spoken to senior Shiv Sena leaders, and they have categorically denied any such move. They have clearly stated that the mayor will be from Mahayuti,” he added. Despite this, our priority is that the mayor should be from the Mahayuti. Our only insistence is that the BJP should get the first two-and-a-half-year mayoral term,” he added.
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