A day after the BJP state executive meeting, four of its corporators in Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) resigned.
On Monday, Suresh Kulkarni, a staunch loyalist of BJP MLA Ganesh Naik, and his wife and corporator Radha submitted their resignation to the municipal commissioner. Along with them, corporators Sangeeta Waske and Mudrika Gawli too submitted their resignation.
Kulkarni holds sway in the Turbhe region and had reportedly been upset at some of his projects, including a foot overbridge on Thane Belapur being delayed and his concerns of the Turbhe landfill site affecting the local population not being addressed.
Kulkarni said, “I want to be with the people of my area. The locals have told me that they do not want to be with the BJP. There is a large Muslim and Dalit community that lives in Turbhe and I have to listen to them.”
Kulkarni was accompanied by Shiv Sena opposition leader Vijay Chougule when he submitted the resignation. “I will decide my next move soon,” said Kulkarni.
Chougule hinted that the four would join the Shiv Sena.
“Issues raised by Kulkarni in the house had been pending and he had approached Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, who helped resolve them,” said Chougule.
{{/usCountry}}“Issues raised by Kulkarni in the house had been pending and he had approached Thane guardian minister Eknath Shinde, who helped resolve them,” said Chougule.
{{/usCountry}}The Shiv Sena has 38 corporators in the House.
BJP corporator Suraj Patil said, “The people of the city are with Ganesh Naik and his ideology and developmental agenda will ensure that he will once again win the NMMC election.”