In a blow to the BJP, nine of its corporators have decided to part ways and join hands with the Congress for the mayor election in the Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation (BMC).
After the BJP changed its mayor candidate at the last moment, Narayan Chaudhari decided to rebel against the party, saying he was promised by top BJP leaders that he would be the candidate. He said as the BJP had gone back on its word, he had no option but to join hands with the Congress.
In the 90-member Bhiwandi Municipal Corporation, the Congress has emerged as the single largest party with 30 corporators, followed by the BJP with 22, NCP SP and Shiv Sena with 12 each, six from the Samajwadi Party, six from the Konark Vikas Aghadi, four from the Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi, and one independent.
The Congress, NCP SP, and BJP faction have announced Chaudhari's name as the mayor candidate and Tarik Momin as the deputy mayor candidate. The election for both posts is scheduled on February 20. The Congress has the support of more than 50 corporators against the requirement of 46.
The nine BJP corporators under the leadership of Chaudhari met Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal at Tilak Bhawan and extended their support to the Congress and its alliance in the mayoral election in Bhiwandi.
Sapkal said it was a 'ghar wapsi' for the BJP corporators who were earlier with the Congress. “We believe in secular and progressive politics that takes along all castes and communities. We are happy that the BJP corporators also understand that the Congress and its alliance can give a peaceful government, while the BJP will do hate politics. Along with power, social fabric is also important,” Sapkal said.
NCP SP Lok Sabha MP Suresh Mhatre said the Congress and NCP SP are part of the Maha Vikas Aghadi and are together in Bhiwandi also. He said earlier they invited the Samajwadi Party and even offered them the deputy mayor post, but they refused to join hands. “Now, a major faction of the BJP in Bhiwandi has announced its breakup with the party and extended support to our secular alliance. We are sure that the next mayor and deputy mayor of Bhiwandi will be from our front,” Mhatre said.