In post-poll twist, MNS corporators join hands with Shinde’s Sena in Kalyan-Dombivli

THANE/MUMBAI: Amid the race for mayoral posts across civic bodies in Maharashtra, a new political equation emerged in the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation on Wednesday with five corporators of Raj Thackeray-led MNS offering support to Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, which is in alliance with the BJP.

While Shiv Sena MP Shrikant Shinde informed about the development, local MNS leader and former MLA Raju Patil said the decision was taken with Raj Thackeray’s permission to ensure political stability and smooth functioning of the municipal corporation.

The MNS corporators’ decision could be viewed as a setback to Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) as the two parties fought the keenly-watched January 15 elections to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) together.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut claimed that Raj Thackeray was “distraught” over the development in Kalyan Dombivli, as it was not the official decision of his party, while MNS leader Bala Nandgaonkar said the new equation appears to be part of an understanding at the local level.

In the 122-member Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), the Shiv Sena has emerged as the single largest party by winning 53 seats, while ally BJP stands second with 50 seats. With the support of five MNS corporators, there are now 108 members in the alliance. Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and NCP (SP) have won eleven, two and one seats, respectively. Meanwhile, the lottery for the mayoral posts in Mumbai and 28 other civic bodies are scheduled to be held on January 22. The lottery determines the category for which the mayor’s post will be reserved, such as general, women, SC, ST, and OBC categories. Once the category is announced, eligible candidates file their nominations. The tussle for the Mumbai mayor post has heated up with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde staking claim on it for his party, and the Uddhav Thackeray faction alleging that the phones of the Mahayuti corporators are being “tapped”.

This comes days after the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance secured a majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, held after a 4-year delay. Shinde wants the mayor’s post given to his faction of the Shiv Sena as a “mark of respect” for the party’s founder, late Bal Thackeray, whose birth centenary falls next year. It is worth noting that the BJP won 89 seats in the 227-member BMC, the most of any party, though no single party has a clear majority.

Earlier this week, Shinde hinted at Shiv Sena’s claim to the Mumbai mayor’s post, projecting it as a mark of respect to Bal Thackeray in his birth centenary year. Shinde stressed that the Shiv Sena would not take any decision that goes against the people’s mandate, emphasising that the Shiv Sena and BJP had fought the Mumbai civic elections as an alliance.