In a significant development in Maharashtra's political landscape, Congress leader and state assembly MLA Vijay Wadettiwar on Thursday sought to draw a firm line in the ongoing leadership tussle within the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation. The senior politician asserted with clarity that his party will hold the mayor's post for the full five-year term, putting to rest speculation about power-sharing arrangements.
Congress Leadership to Decide Final Allocation
Wadettiwar emphasized that the ultimate decision regarding the mayoral position and other key posts in the civic body will be taken by Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president Harshwardhan Sapkal. This statement comes amid intense internal discussions within the party about the distribution of important positions in the municipal corporation following recent elections.
Resolving Internal Differences Through Consensus
Sources within the party indicate that Sapkal played a crucial mediating role in ensuring that the public disagreement between Wadettiwar and party's Lok Sabha member Pratibha Dhanorkar reaches a resolution. The compromise allows both leaders to have substantial input regarding key appointments within the civic administration.
The leadership conflict within Congress ranks in Chandrapur had attracted considerable political attention in recent days, with observers closely watching how the party would manage its internal dynamics while preparing to govern the municipal body.
Congress Confident of Governing with Numbers
Drawing the curtains on the contentious matter, Wadettiwar confidently stated that the Congress party possesses sufficient numbers to govern the civic body effectively. He revealed that the party intends to take what he described as a "consensus-based decision" that would keep party workers united and motivated.
The Congress leader categorically declared that regardless of claims or protests by BJP leaders, the mayor in Chandrapur will undoubtedly be from the Congress party. He explained, "Differences among leaders are not unusual in democratic parties, but the party worker remains central to our decisions. We will take a decision that keeps our workers satisfied and aligned with our objectives."
Alliance Confidence and BJP Allegations
Wadettiwar further disclosed that discussions have already been held with the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), expressing confidence that their Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) partner would remain part of the ruling alliance in the Chandrapur civic body as well.
Turning his attention to the opposition, the Congress leader launched serious allegations against the BJP regarding Wednesday's reservation lottery for mayoral posts across 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra. Wadettiwar claimed the entire process lacked transparency and was deliberately "engineered" to benefit the BJP politically.
He questioned the fairness of the lottery system, suggesting that it had been manipulated to suit the ruling party's interests at the state level. These allegations add another layer to the ongoing political tensions between the Congress and BJP in Maharashtra's municipal governance landscape.
