BJP pips Congress to mayor’s post in Chandrapur with Sena (UBT) help

The Congress, which was confident of forming their government and appointing a mayor in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation of Maharashtra, faced a major setback on Tuesday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporator Sangeeta Khandekar was elected to the post with the support of the Shiv Sena (UBT) by a single vote, defeating Congress candidate Vaishali Mahadule.

In turn, Sena (UBT) corporator Prashant Danav got elected as the deputy mayor with the BJP support.

The Congress and Sena (UBT) are alliance partners at State level as Maha Vikas Aghadi along with the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar).

Chandrapur is one of the few municipal corporations in Mahrashtra where the Congress had emerged as the largest party. It won 27 seats, becoming the largest party in the 66-member civic body. The BJP had 23 corporators, making it a tight contest between the two parties for ascendancy with 34 votes needed to win the mayoral and deputy mayoral positions.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Sena (UBT) won six seats, Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh (Janvikas Sena) and Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi (VBA) two seats each, and AIMIM, BSP and Shiv Sena one each; two Independents also emerged winners.  in the poll held on January 15 when results were announced the following day.

According to Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, the party was expecting support from the Sena (UBT) and VBA. Eight nominations had been filed for the mayor’s position and six for the post of deputy mayor. “The magic number of 34 was required for majority. Congress had 27 seats and the support of two Independents and the BSP corporator. However, the AIMIM did not support us, VBA corporators were not present. We expected Shiv Sena (UBT) to vote for us, but it did not work out. VBA wanted the mayor position. Our strategy also went wrong while nominating candidates or today we would have at least 30 to 40 corporators. We apologise to the residents of Chandrapur who voted for us,” he said.

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged horse-trading and blamed the Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM and VBA for the setback.

Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said the development appeared to have occurred without the approval of the party leadership.