Mumbai, Feb 12 (IANS) The election of Shiv Sena-UBT corporator Syed Iqbal Syed Khaja as Mayor of the Parbhani Municipal Corporation on Thursday triggered a sharp political confrontation between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra.
While the Mahayuti accused Uddhav Thackeray of deviating from the Shiv Sena’s core ideology, the Shiv Sena (UBT) defended the decision as a reflection of democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution.
The MVA secured both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts in the civic body. Congress corporator Ganesh Deshmukh was elected Deputy Mayor.
The appointment of a Muslim Mayor drew criticism from the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena. Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde launched an attack on Uddhav Thackeray, saying the development vindicated the 2022 split in the party.
“In 2019, they abandoned Balasaheb Thackeray’s ideology for power. Today, in Parbhani, their true face has been revealed. While we carry forward Balasaheb’s legacy, they are moving in a different direction,” Shinde said.
BJP legislator Chitra Wagh also criticised the move, questioning the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s intentions. “Has Parbhani been painted green because the dream of installing a ‘Khan’ as Mayor in Mumbai remained unfulfilled?” she asked, referring to the party’s long-standing dominance in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).
Responding to the criticism, Shiv Sena (UBT) deputy leader Sushma Andhare defended the election and questioned the BJP’s objections.
“Why has the Parbhani issue suddenly become important to the BJP and the Shinde faction? Parbhani’s mayoral election has not dented the country’s image. In every civic election, 12 to 14 corporators from the Muslim community are elected and a Hindu mayor is chosen. Considering Parbhani’s demography, if a Muslim corporator has been elected Mayor this time, why is there so much noise?” she said.
Andhare also referred to a recent event organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) attended by actor Salman Khan, questioning what she termed as a “qualitative difference” being drawn between public figures and elected representatives.
Earlier in the day, voting was held through a show of hands, with the MVA demonstrating a clear majority. Under the pre-poll understanding among the allies, the Mayor’s post was contested by the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Deputy Mayor’s post by the Congress.
Syed Iqbal Syed Khaja secured 39 votes in the 65-member corporation.
A notable development during the voting was the decision by Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) corporators Akshay Deshmukh and Razia Begum not to support the BJP candidate, which strengthened the MVA’s position.
In the 65-member Parbhani Municipal Corporation, Shiv Sena (UBT) emerged as the single largest party with 25 corporators, followed by Congress with 12, BJP with 12, NCP with 11, Jan Surajya Shakti with 3 and others with 2.
The development comes soon after the BJP dealt a setback to the Congress in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation elections, where despite being the single largest party, the Congress failed to secure the Mayor’s post amid internal differences.
Local MVA leaders described the Parbhani outcome as a result of coordinated strategy among alliance partners.
“We are committed to the rapid development of the city and resolving issues faced by common citizens under this new leadership,” MVA leaders said after the results were announced.
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee President Harshwardhan Sapkal said the Congress upheld “alliance dharma” by supporting the Shiv Sena (UBT) to prevent the BJP from gaining control of the civic body.
He, however, criticised the Shiv Sena (UBT)’s stance in Chandrapur, alleging that its local decision to support the BJP in the mayoral poll was incorrect. “The developments in Chandrapur and Parbhani have made it clear that Shiv Sena (UBT) seeks Congress votes within the alliance but does not always reciprocate,” he said.
–IANS
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