Congress infighting in Chandrapur has given the BJP and the Shiv Sena (UBT) a vacancy in one of the few municipal corporations where the party was in a position to claim the mayor’s post. Deep factional divides between the Vijay Wadettiwar and Pratibha Dhanorkar camps during the February 10 mayoral elections paved the way for an unlikely alliance between the BJP and the Sena (UBT), with BJP corporator Sangita Rajendra Khandekar now set to become first-term mayor.
The Congress emerged victorious in only four cities: Bhiwandi-Nizampur, Kolhapur, Chandrapur and Latur. However, Bhiwandi-Nizampur still has no mayor and political uncertainty continues. Kolhapur witnessed an intense tussle in which the BJP bagged the mayor’s post while the Congress assumed the role of the main opposition. Only in Latur did the Congress manage to claim the post of mayor.
BJP MLA Kishor Jorgewar on Tuesday clarified that the post of mayor in Chandrapur will be shared between the BJP and Shiv Sena (UBT) for a period of two and a half years, 1.25 years each. As per the agreed formula, the BJP will hold the mayor’s post for the first half, followed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the rest of the term.
Jorgewar said that a whip was issued in the name of Sangita Rajendra Khandekar for the post of mayor as part of the alliance. He added that during the second half of the term, the post of mayor and the post of Standing Committee chairman will remain with the Shiv Sena (UBT).
“Shiv Sena (UBT) had demanded the mayor’s post first. However, despite having strength, it did not seem appropriate to hand over the first mayoral term to them. Even the Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders later agreed that from the development perspective of Chandrapur, the BJP is capable of ensuring development,” Jorgewar said. He also said that Prashant Danao of Shiv Sena (UBT) will be appointed deputy mayor.
Shiv Sena Chandrapur leader Sandip Girhe said the party’s initial position was that the Shiv Sena (UBT) should get the mayor’s post. Talks were held within the party and with the Congress, and Wadettiwar was contacted. However, Girhe alleged that Congress was not ready. offer the position of mayor not even once during the entire term.
“After discussions with BJP leaders Sudhir Mungantiwar and Kishor Jorgewar, a formula has been finalized. According to this, the BJP will hold the post of mayor for the first 1.25 years, the Shiv Sena (UBT) for the next, while the post of deputy mayor and Standing Committee president will remain with the Shiv Sena (UBT) in the first term,” Girhe said.
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“We, as Shiv Sena district leaders, had informed the party leadership about the situation. The party leaders had told us that this was a local body election and we should focus on how justice could be given to the party workers. Our insistence was that we should support the Congress, but Pratibha Dhanorkar refused to form an alliance. We approached the Congress repeatedly, but they rejected the proposal every time. We kept our party leadership informed each time. stage and we even met (Harshavardhan) Sapkal saheb Despite “making sincere efforts, the Congress was not willing to take us on board. “They didn’t take us seriously,” Girhe said.
“I did not visit Kishor Jorgewar’s residence after Wadettiwar’s as rumors suggest. I only held discussions with Sudhir Mungantiwar over phone and conveyed this decision to the senior leadership. I was in constant touch with Varun Sardesai and Uddhav Thackeray I saw something so informed. He had told us clearly: let’s protect the party and protect the workers. “Make the decision that seems most appropriate for that,” he added.
“Till morning, the position was that the Shiv Sena (UBT) would go with the Congress, as also stated by Sanjay Raut, but Pratibha Dhanorkar was not ready to offer the mayor’s post to the Shiv Sena,” Girhe said.
On the possibility of disciplinary action, he said, “I have not done anything for personal gain. I had an offer to join the BJP, but I remained loyal. I trust my party leadership and believe they will not take any unfair action against me. I trust Uddhav saheb.” He added that after 1.25 years, the mayor will be elected under the symbol of Shiv Sena (UBT).
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Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the magic number required for a majority in the civic body was 34. He claimed that when three additional corporators were needed, the Congress had agreed to offer Shiv Sena the posts of deputy mayor and Standing Committee president. However, he said the Sena (UBT) informed them that it had received a better offer from the BJP and walked out of the talks.
In the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation elections, Congress won 27 seats out of 66, while BJP won 23. Shiv Sena (UBT) won 6 seats, Bharatiya Shetkari Kamghar Paksh (backed by Congress) won 3, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi 2, AIMIM 1, BSP 1, Shiv Sena (Shinde group) 1 and Independents 2.
Sudhir Mungantiwar said he was happy that the mayor belonged to the BJP and that the support of the Sena (UBT) was aimed at accelerating the development of Chandrapur. He said: “Under the leadership of the Chief Minister Devendra FadnavisChandrashekhar Bawankule and Ravindra Chavan, the BJP’s objective was to establish itself in Chandrapur for development-oriented governance.”
On the unusual alliance, he said, “It is a matter of joy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Devendra Fadnavis’ development-centric philosophy, ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’ has been implemented in Chandrapur.”
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Mungantiwar argued that the Congress also did not have a clear majority. While the Congress had 27 corporators and the BJP (alliance) had 24, he said the Congress created the impression that it had the people’s mandate. He added that internal factionalism within Congress was so intense that it seemed unlikely that they would have been able to run the administration effectively.
BJP mayoral candidate Sangita Khandekar won by a margin of just one vote, with two Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi corporators remaining absent during the crucial developments.