Congress Demonstrates Alliance Loyalty in Parbhani Mayoral Election
The mayoral election in Parbhani unfolded with remarkable calm on Thursday, presenting a stark contrast to the political turbulence witnessed recently in Chandrapur. This development occurred despite the Shiv Sena (UBT) having previously sided with the BJP in the Chandrapur mayoral contest, a move that had delivered a significant blow to the Congress party.
Strategic Alliance Prevails Over Retaliation
Rather than seeking retaliation for the Chandrapur episode, the Congress party chose to uphold its alliance commitments. This principled stance paved the way for the election of Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Sayyed Iqbal Sayyed Khwaja as the new mayor of Parbhani. The Sena (UBT), which commands substantial support from Muslim corporators within the city, effectively leveraged its minority support base to secure this victory.
In a complementary strategic move, the Congress party nominated Ganesh Deshmukh for the deputy mayor's position, who also emerged victorious. This coordinated effort ensured a successful outcome for the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance partners in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation.
Vote Breakdown and Political Calculations
The 65-member Parbhani Municipal Corporation presented a clear mathematical picture. The Shiv Sena (UBT) holds 25 seats and required the support of Congress's 12 corporators to achieve a majority. When the votes were tallied, Khwaja secured a decisive victory with 39 votes, defeating BJP candidate Tirumala Khillare, who received 26 votes.
Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal emphasized that his party's decision reflected a deep commitment to alliance ethics. Speaking in Buldhana, he stated, "Sena (UBT) did not uphold the spirit of the alliance in Chandrapur, where it supported BJP in the mayoral poll. Congress, however, kept its word in the Parbhani mayoral election. Our party does not believe in harbouring resentment or seeking revenge over the stand taken by Sena (UBT) in Chandrapur."Local Coordination and Strategic Shifts
Earlier, Sena (UBT)'s Parbhani MP Sanjay Jadhav had insisted that the Chandrapur incident would have no bearing on Parbhani's political dynamics. He maintained that on the ground, Congress and Sena (UBT) continued to share strong coordination and mutual understanding, a claim validated by the election results.
Political analysts noted that with nearly half of its corporators belonging to the minority community, Sena (UBT)'s decision to back a Muslim candidate for mayor might invite criticism from opponents in the coming days. This is particularly significant given the party's earlier history of appealing to communal sentiments when it was united under a single banner.
However, analysts observed a conscious strategic shift by the Uddhav Thackeray-led party following its success in securing the Parbhani Lok Sabha seat with assistance from its MVA partners. "Offering more tickets to minority candidates has become part of its larger plan to expand its support base in the region," explained one political analyst. This represents a notable evolution in the party's approach to representation and coalition politics in Maharashtra.
