There is a fierce war raging between the BJP and the Shiv Sena to woo corporators and leaders from other parties in their fold ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls to be held next year.
On Saturday, the BJP welcomed two MNS corporators, Prakash Darekar and Sukhada Pawar, and Congress corporator Kesarben Patel into its party fold. “They showed their faith in the BJP as the party is working wholeheartedly for the development of Mumbai,” said city party chief Ashish Shelar on this occasion.
The BJP’s move to allow entry of these three corporators in its party is seen as an attempt to send a strong message about its rising strength in the city. The party leaders were annoyed with the fact that despite their party being the dominant partner in the state government, it was Sena that has been successful in luring a higher number of corporators from other parties.
Currently, the Sena seems to be on an enrolment spree of corporators and leaders from other parties. Within the last fortnight, six corporators — Geeta Chavan, Ishwar Tayade, Suresh Awale (all MNS), Shantaram Patil (SP), Savita Pawar (NCP) and Vijay Tandel (independent) — have joined the Sena. In addition to this, former corporators Anna Malai (Congress) and Sharad Pawar (NCP) have also switched their loyalties to Sena.
According to political sources, some of them were expected to join the BJP. But the Sena managed to woo them to its party fold instead.
The MNS has been the worst sufferer in the war between the two heavyweight parties. It has lost five of its corporators to both the parties so far. Some more are likely to part ways with the party in the near future, claimed sources.
