Sena (UBT) Claims Lone Mayor Position in Parbhani Municipal Corporation Victory
In a significant political development, Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Iqbal Syed has been elected as the Mayor of the Parbhani Municipal Corporation. The election, held on Thursday, saw Syed defeat his BJP rival Tirumala Khilare by a decisive margin of 13 votes in the 65-member House.
Vote Tally and Alliance Support
Syed secured an impressive 39 votes against Khilare's 26, comfortably crossing the majority threshold of 33. This victory was made possible through the crucial support of the Congress party, which is in alliance with Sena (UBT) for the civic polls. The result establishes Parbhani as the only municipal corporation where the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction has successfully captured the Mayor's post.
The election was conducted under intense scrutiny, with widespread speculation about potential cross-voting. However, the Sena (UBT)-Congress alliance demonstrated remarkable cohesion during the voting process, maintaining their combined strength throughout.
Municipal Election Background and Seat Distribution
In the recently concluded municipal elections, the political landscape of Parbhani was clearly defined:
- Shiv Sena (UBT) emerged as the largest party with 25 seats
- Congress and BJP each secured 12 seats
- The Ajit Pawar-led NCP obtained 11 seats
- Remaining seats were distributed among smaller parties and an Independent candidate
The combined tally of Sena (UBT) and Congress reached 37 seats in the House, providing them with a comfortable majority well above the halfway mark. Initially, 14 nominations were filed for the mayor's position, but 12 candidates subsequently withdrew their nominations, resulting in a direct contest between Syed and Khilare.
Political Controversy and Criticism
Meanwhile, BJP leader Navnath Ban launched sharp criticism against Sena (UBT) for their candidate selection. "During elections, they speak about 'Marathi pride', but when they got the opportunity to appoint their only mayor, they chose a Muslim candidate," Ban stated.
He further escalated his criticism by alleging that the party was "pushing Aurangzeb's agenda," remarks that are expected to intensify political tensions and sparring within the district. As of now, Sena (UBT) leaders have not issued any formal response to Ban's controversial statements.
The election outcome represents a significant political achievement for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, particularly given the broader context where the rival Shinde Sena has been performing strongly in other local body elections across Maharashtra. This victory provides Sena (UBT) with a crucial foothold in municipal governance despite facing challenges in other regions.
