Maha civic polls: Congress moves to prevent poaching as Mayoral race heats up

Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) Amid hectic political activity ahead of the mayoral elections, the Congress has swung into action to keep its flock together in Chandrapur and Parbhani and thereby foil alleged poaching attempts by the Mahayuti. In the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation, the Congress is treading carefully as it is falling short of a majority by three votes. 

On Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) Chandrapur president Sandip Girhe claimed that his party will ally with anyone who is ready to give the mayoral post to his party. “I am not naming any party. But we will go with the party which is ready to give us the mayoral post,” Girhe said, hinting the party might even decide to ally with the BJP.

In Chandrapur’s 66-member body, Congress has 27 elected members while the BJP won 23. Shiv Sena (UBT) has six and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi has two. In Chandrapur, the infighting between Congress MLA and legislative group leader Vijay Wadettiwar and Chandrapur Lok Sabha MP Pratibha Dhanorkar is likely to harm the party’s prospects. According to sources, the two leaders share differences over the choice of mayoral face and committee chiefs. The delay is already harming alliance talks.

Former minister and BJP MLA from Chandrapur district Sudhir Mungantiwar on Monday claimed that a group of Congress corporators was willing to join the BJP as they have realised that aligning with the BJP can bring development to Chandrapur. Mungantiwar’s statement has increased the Congress party’s worries.

However, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal, when asked about Chandrapur, said, “One should ignore the rumours. Congress will have its mayor.”

Similarly, in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation with 65 members, Shiv Sena (UBT) has emerged as the single-largest party with 25 seats while ally Congress has won 12 seats. On the day the results were declared, Parbhani Lok Sabha MP Sanjay Jadhav announced that Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress will have the mayor and deputy mayor in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation. The BJP too has won 12 seats while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP has won 11 seats.

The changed political equations are likely to affect the existing power equations in Parbhani as well. Shiv Sena (UBT), however, clarified that it is not planning any move that will benefit either the BJP or the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. “We want to be extremely clear in saying that we will not make any move that will benefit either the BJP or the Shinde-led party,” said party spokesperson Harshal Pradhan.

In the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation with 90 members, Congress has emerged as the single-largest party by winning 30 seats while Sharad Pawar-led NCP-SP won 12. The BJP came second with 22 seats and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena has won 12. The Samajwadi Party has won six seats, while others have won seven. Despite an alliance with the NCP-SP, Congress still falls short by three to get a majority.

Sensing the delicate political situation, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Monday invited all the winning corporators from Bhiwandi for felicitations at the party headquarters.

NCP-SP MLA Jitendra Awhad said that his party will extend support to Congress. “We will achieve the numbers and we will have our mayor in Bhiwandi,” he added.

--IANS

sj/pgh