In a significant political move, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has clinched the Mayor’s position in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation in Maharashtra with backing from six Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators who defied their party’s stance. Sangeeta Khandekar’s election as Mayor marks a setback for the Congress, which narrowly missed claiming the top spot in the recent civic polls. The decision by the Shiv Sena (UBT) to support the BJP was reportedly driven by internal discontent within the Congress ranks.
The mayoral election witnessed a tight race, with BJP’s Sangeeta Khandekar securing 32 votes compared to the Congress candidate’s 31 votes. The absence of two Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) corporators and the abstention of the lone All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) representative played a crucial role in the BJP’s victory. The BJP’s win was facilitated by the reduced majority mark due to the AIMIM’s abstention and VBA’s non-participation.
The victory for the BJP came after six Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators went against the party’s directive to oppose the BJP. Despite clear instructions from party leader Uddhav Thackeray to sit in the opposition, local leaders in Chandrapur proceeded to support the BJP. The decision was defended by Sandeep Girhe, the district chief of the Thackeray faction, citing lack of cooperation from the Congress as a key factor.
Girhe justified the move to back the BJP by emphasizing development goals and highlighting what he perceived as a snub from senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar. As per the reported agreement, the BJP will hold the Mayor’s position for the initial 15 months, followed by Shiv Sena (UBT) taking over. Additionally, Shiv Sena (UBT) will occupy the Deputy Mayor’s role for the entire five-year term and lead the Standing Committee in the first and fourth years.
The political maneuver has stirred tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, with reports suggesting that Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership is contemplating disciplinary measures against Sandeep Girhe and the six corporators for their actions. The Chandrapur Municipal Corporation currently comprises members from various parties, with the Congress holding the majority at 27 seats, followed by BJP at 23, Shiv Sena (UBT) at 6, and other smaller factions.
