Although MNS skipped the mayoral elections in the house, their corporators were seen occupying chairs next to the rivals after polls
After offering support to the Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI alliance in the mayoral polls for the Thane Municipal Corporation, corporators from the MNS remained absent from the BMC mayoral elections yesterday.
However, the 28 elected corporators came in and sat next to the Sena-BJP-RPI alliance in the house after the elections. Earlier the Samajwadi Party occupied the same seats next to the saffron combine. They vacated the chairs after MNS corporators arrived.
By remaining absent for the polls, MNS didn’t upset the equation because the saffron alliance already had the numbers to elect the mayor and deputy mayor.
Speculation was also rife that along with the flags of Sena-BJP and RPI, people had placed the flags of MNS in the house. However, when this reporter went to confirm the act, only flags of the saffron alliance were visible.
MNS flags were not hoisted in tandem with the saffron alliance flags. However, when they sat next to the alliance, the saffron colour became more prominent in the house of 227 corporators.
As expected Sunil Prabhu got elected as the 72nd mayor for the city with 125 votes, of which 107 was polled by the saffron alliance, whereas the rest came from 16 independents and two members from Akhil Bhartiya Sena, which is led by Arun Gawli.
On the contrary, Congress candidate Sunil More secured 65 votes, of which 52 were from Congress and 13 from the NCP.
Moreover, of the 16 independents all the four Muslim corporators supported the Sena, which led SP group leader Rais Shaikh to say, “We are surprised that the people who have won on the basis of secular votes supported the Saffron alliance, which is infamous for having communal overtures.”
Meanwhile, the deputy mayor seat went to the BJP’s Mohan Mithbhawkar, who received 122 votes. His opponent, Harun Khan from the NCP secured 65 votes.
In her term, the outgoing mayor Shraddha Jadhav conducted 99 meetings. Speaking regarding that elusive ton she said, “Yes during my term I conducted 99 meetings, however, today’s meeting doesn’t come in my term or else it would have been a century for me.”
Courtesy: Mid-day