Maharashtra Political Drama: Sena-UBT Accused of Taking Crores to Help BJP Win Chandrapur Mayor Seat
In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through Maharashtra's political landscape, barely a month after Raj and Uddhav Thackeray joined forces for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation elections, their party leaders are now engaged in a bitter public feud. The controversy centers around Sena (UBT)'s alleged support to BJP in the Chandrapur mayoral contest, which ultimately helped the saffron party secure victory by a single crucial vote.
Explosive Cash-for-Vote Allegations Rock Political Circles
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) leader Sandeep Deshpande has made explosive allegations that each UBT corporator in Chandrapur was clandestinely paid a staggering Rs 1 crore for their votes. "As per my information, Rs 1 crore was given to each UBT corporator, and Rs 50 lakh to Independents," Deshpande declared in Mumbai. "Did this happen without the knowledge of Matoshree? Raut must answer if he too was kept in the dark."
The political drama unfolded on Tuesday when BJP secured the Chandrapur mayor's post with the backing of all six Sena-UBT corporators, following the collapse of negotiations between Sena-UBT and Congress. This unexpected alliance has raised serious questions about political integrity and backroom dealings in Maharashtra's volatile political environment.
Sanjay Raut's Vehement Denial and Party Defense
Sena-UBT's Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut has categorically denied that party corporators helped BJP, offering a strong rebuttal to the cash-for-vote allegations. "BJP split Balasaheb Thackeray's party and stole our party symbol. We do not support thieves, nor would we bring them to power anywhere. These were clear instructions," Raut asserted with conviction.
When pressed about how BJP managed to clinch the mayor's seat if Sena-UBT corporators weren't following party directives, Raut revealed that all six corporators have been summoned to Matoshree. "I believe the six corporators have been summoned. They will be here in two or three days," he stated. "As far as orders are concerned, only Uddhav Ji gives orders in our party. Even I work according to his instructions."
Local Leadership Responds to Allegations
Chandrapur's UBT Sena chief Sandeep Girhe offered a measured response to the escalating controversy. While refusing to comment directly on Raut's remarks, Girhe launched a strong counterattack against MNS' Deshpande over the cash-for-vote allegations. "He should prove these allegations and if true, all UBT corporators will resign," Girhe challenged.
Girhe provided crucial context about the night before the election, painting a picture of genuine political negotiation rather than backroom deals. "If we wanted money from BJP, we wouldn't have waited in the Congress office till midnight on poll eve to hammer out a consensus. If we took Rs 1 crore each, the deal would have been done in a luxury hotel, but everyone knows we were fighting for self-respect on the street."
Congress Internal Feud Blamed for Political Breakdown
Sena-UBT has pointed fingers at Congress for the current political situation in Chandrapur, attributing the breakdown in negotiations to the intense feud between MLA Vijay Wadettiwar and Lok Sabha MP Pratibha Dhanorkar. Raut explained the practical difficulties this created: "Those two factions did not even register as a single group, so with whom should we discuss?"
The negotiations had reached a critical point when Wadettiwar met Uddhav Thackeray and proposed a 50:50 tenure sharing arrangement for the mayor's post. However, this potential deal ultimately collapsed as both Congress factions fought bitterly over who would have the authority to nominate the mayor candidate, leaving Sena-UBT in a difficult political position.
Broader Implications for Maharashtra Politics
This controversy has exposed several critical issues in Maharashtra's political dynamics:
- The fragile nature of political alliances in the state
- The challenges of maintaining party discipline across different regions
- The impact of internal party conflicts on broader political negotiations
- The persistent allegations of money influencing political outcomes
The summoning of the six Chandrapur corporators to Matoshree suggests that Sena-UBT leadership is taking this matter extremely seriously. Their explanations and the subsequent party decisions will likely have significant implications for future political alignments in Maharashtra, particularly as the state prepares for upcoming elections and continues to navigate complex coalition politics.
As political observers await the corporators' appearance at Matoshree and their explanations, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the volatile and unpredictable nature of Maharashtra politics, where alliances can shift dramatically and allegations of financial impropriety continue to shadow political processes.
