MVA Allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and Congress Clash Over BJP Mayor Win in Chandrapur
In a dramatic political twist, Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) allies Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Congress engaged in a bitter war of words on Wednesday over the turn of events in Maharashtra's Chandrapur civic body. The controversy erupted after the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) supported the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the mayoral election, leading to a BJP victory despite the Congress emerging as the single largest party.
BJP Secures Mayor Post with Sena (UBT) Support
The faction-riven Congress suffered a major embarrassment on Tuesday when a surprise alliance between Shiv Sena (UBT) and the BJP led to the election of BJP's Sangeeta Khandekar as mayor of Chandrapur Municipal Corporation. Khandekar won by a single vote, defeating Congress candidate Vaishali Mahadule, with Shiv Sena (UBT) corporators extending crucial support to the saffron party. In a further blow, Sena (UBT) corporator Prashant Danav was elected deputy mayor.
This development has raised serious questions about opposition unity and the viability of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, which comprises Shiv Sena (UBT), Sharad Pawar's NCP (SP), and the Congress. Chandrapur was one of the few municipal corporations where the Congress had emerged as the largest party and was poised to secure the mayor's post. However, deep internal divisions between factions led by Vijay Wadettiwar and Pratibha Dhanorkar created an opening that the BJP successfully exploited.
Raut Blames Congress for "Mess" in Chandrapur
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut squarely blamed the Congress for what he called the "mess" in Chandrapur. Speaking to reporters, Raut asserted that the Congress should be "ashamed" of not being able to occupy power despite emerging as the single largest party in the civic body.
"Who is responsible for this? This should be probed at the highest level. There is no point blaming the Shiv Sena (UBT)," Raut declared. He emphasized that Uddhav Thackeray had given clear instructions to party functionaries in Chandrapur not to help the BJP in any way, even if that meant sitting in opposition.
Raut explained that the decision by Sena (UBT) corporators to back the BJP in the mayoral polls was taken at the local level and not by the party leadership. "Still due to Congress' mess, local (Shiv Sena-UBT) leaders have taken the decision. This does not mean we have joined hands with the BJP," the Rajya Sabha member clarified.
Congress Hits Back, Demands Explanation
The Congress hit back with equal force, demanding an explanation from its ally. State Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal stated that Shiv Sena (UBT) should answer why it gave a free hand to its corporators to vote for the BJP.
"Our corporators stayed united and didn't cross vote. If you had an issue about our infighting, you could have abstained or remained absent during the voting for mayor's post," Sapkal told PTI. He revealed that the Congress was in touch with Shiv Sena (UBT) leadership, who had assured that at no point would its corporators vote for the BJP.
Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe went further, asserting that Shiv Sena (UBT) should be ashamed of itself for pretending to be against the BJP while simultaneously supporting it for the sake of power.
Election Results and Political Implications
The political drama unfolded against the backdrop of recent election results for the 66-member Chandrapur civic body:
- Congress: 27 seats (single largest party)
- BJP: 23 seats
- Shiv Sena (UBT): 6 seats
- Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh (Janvikas Sena): 3 seats
- Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA): 2 seats
- AIMIM, BSP, and Shiv Sena: 1 seat each
- Independents: 2 seats
Raut pointed out that the VBA and AIMIM did not back the Congress in the mayoral polls because there was no unanimity within the party. This internal discord ultimately cost the Congress what should have been a straightforward victory.
The incident highlights the fragile nature of opposition alliances in Maharashtra and raises significant questions about the future coordination between MVA partners. While the BJP shares power with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the NCP in the Mahayuti state government, the opposition MVA now faces internal tensions that could impact its effectiveness in challenging the ruling coalition.
