Six corporators from MNS quit to swell Shiv Sena ranks in BMC

Mumbai: Diwali came early this year for the Shiv Sena when six Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporators joined the Sena ranks on Friday.

This development has dealt a body blow to the BJP’s aspirations of wresting power from the Sena in the Brihanmumbai Muncipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s richest civic body.

The six MNS corporators, led by Dilip Lande, met the Konkan divisional commissioner and presented a letter to him expressing their desire to join the Shiv Sena.

The other five corporators are Parmeshwar Kadam, Archana Bhalerao, Ashwini Matekar, Harshal More and Dattaram Narwankar.

Later, Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray made a formal announcement at Matoshree about these six corporators joining his party. “Majority of these corporators are former Shiv Sainiks and they have returned to their original home,” he said.

Taking pot-shots at the BJP, he said that the ally party should feel happy for the Sena and participate in its joy. “If Sena’s strength is increased, why should the BJP feel bad? That the Sena is able to cause such upheavals in a single day, they should be well aware of our might.”

With this development, the Shiv Sena’s tally in the 227-member BMC house has gone up from 84 to 90 in a single day. It also enjoys the support of three independents. Buoyant after its victory in the Bhandup by-poll, the BJP has been left shaken with this move. With 82 corporators, along with the support of two independents, the party is now well behind Sena in the numbers game in the BMC.

The MNS strength in the BMC has now been come down from seven to just one. The sole corporator, who decided to remain with the party, is Sanjay Turde from ward no 166 in Kurla. Stung by the developments, the MNS has asked the Konkan divisional commissioner not to register the names of the defected corporators. “We have demanded that the commissioner speak to us before registration. We have also lodged a complaint with the anti-corruption bureau,” said former MNS corporator Sandeep Deshpande.
 

Power struggle in Maharashtra

Shiv Sena : 93
(90 including six MNS plus 3 indenpendents)
BJP: 85
(83 plus one each from ABS and independent)
Congress: 30
NCP: 9
SP: 6
MIM: 2
MNS: 1