Nagpur Commissioner Issues Notice to Congress Over Chandrapur Corporators' Group Registration
The Nagpur divisional commissioner's office has formally issued a notice to the Congress party in Chandrapur, directing it to rectify multiple discrepancies identified in its application for registering its corporators' group following the recent municipal elections. This administrative action comes at a critical juncture when political alliances are being actively negotiated to form the next municipal administration.
Discrepancies in Registration Application
The commissioner's office has specifically flagged inconsistencies in several key areas of the Congress party's submission. These include discrepancies in the list of members, irregularities in signatures provided, and incomplete supporting documentation. The notice explicitly directs the party to address these issues and comply with the requirements before any further action can be taken on their registration request.
This procedural hurdle became evident on Tuesday when the mandatory registration of Congress corporators as a group could not proceed as scheduled due to the absence of several members. The divisional commissioner's office has now sought additional clarification from the group led by Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar regarding the identified discrepancies in their application.
Political Landscape in Hung Municipal Body
The Chandrapur civic body currently finds itself in a state of suspended animation, with neither the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nor the Congress securing a clear majority in the recent elections. To achieve the crucial threshold of 34 seats required for governance, the role of Shiv Sena (UBT) has become absolutely pivotal. The party, along with its allies, commands approximately 10 corporators, positioning it as the decisive factor that could propel either major party to the ruling benches.
Congress has emerged as the single-largest party with 27 corporators, while BJP follows closely with 23 representatives. The arithmetic clearly indicates that without Shiv Sena (UBT)'s support, neither party can form a stable administration in the municipal corporation.
Intense Alliance Negotiations Underway
Given that Shiv Sena (UBT) is a constituent of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition at the state level, Congress leaders from Chandrapur have been actively attempting to persuade their potential allies to join forces, despite the absence of any pre-poll alliance between the parties. Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar recently traveled to Mumbai to meet with UBT chief Uddhav Thackeray, where he reportedly sweetened the deal by offering the mayor's position for a fifty-fifty tenure arrangement.
However, internal divisions within the Congress party in Chandrapur have surfaced publicly, with supporters of MP Pratibha Dhanorkar demanding that the mayor's position be allocated to their faction. This internal tussle escalated to the point where Wadettiwar flew all his corporators to Delhi on Tuesday to demonstrate strength before the Congress high command.
Shiv Sena (UBT) Position and BJP's Efforts
On Wednesday, Shiv Sena UBT MP Arvind Sawant addressed the media in Delhi and strongly hinted that his party would prefer to align with those political forces that are part of the MVA coalition at the state level. This statement has been interpreted as a positive signal for Congress, though internal party rifts could potentially derail any alliance at any moment.
Simultaneously, BJP with its 23 corporators is reportedly working diligently behind the scenes to cobble together the necessary numbers, though party strategists have acknowledged that Shiv Sena (UBT) has effectively become the kingmaker in this political equation. Shiv Sena UBT MP Sanjay Raut has categorically ruled out any alliance with BJP in Chandrapur, which means Congress must further sweeten their offer to secure the support needed to stake claim for the civic body.
Mayoral Elections Process Commences
With the nomination window for mayor and deputy mayor positions opening on Wednesday, political activity has intensified significantly. By Wednesday evening, a total of 36 nomination forms had been collected from various political entities. The breakdown reveals that 18 forms were submitted by BJP candidates, 10 by Congress aspirants, and 4 each by representatives of Bhartiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksha and independent candidates.
Shiv Sena (UBT) has officially named Manasvi Sandeep Girhe as its candidate for the mayoral position, further solidifying its role as a decisive player in the formation of the next municipal administration. The political mathematics remains clear: the numbers simply do not add up for either major party without Shiv Sena (UBT) being incorporated into the governing formula.
