BJP bags council president posts in Ambernath, Badlapur

In both places, the Sena was involved in a direct contest with the BJP, and both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Shinde had addressed rallies in support of their respective candidates

Thane: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday secured the municipal council president’s post in both Ambernath and Badlapur in Thane district, dealing a blow to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in its stronghold.

BJP candidates Tejashree Karanjule in Ambernath, and Ruchita Ghorpade in Badlapur, defeated Shiv Sena candidates Manisha Wadekar and Veena Mhatre, respectively (Pramod Tambe/HT Photo)

BJP candidates Tejashree Karanjule in Ambernath, and Ruchita Ghorpade in Badlapur, defeated Shiv Sena candidates Manisha Wadekar and Veena Mhatre, respectively, though the BJP could win only 14 out of 59 seats in the Ambernath Municipal Council, while the Shiv Sena won 27 seats and the Congress won 12 seats. The Sena had been in power in Ambernath for more than two decades. In the neighbouring Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council, the BJP and Shiv Sena won 23 seats each out of the 49 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP secured three seats.

The Shiv Sena had entrusted responsibility for the Ambernath and Badlapur municipal council elections to Shrikant Shinde, Member of Parliament from Kalyan and son of Sena chief and deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde. In both places, the party was involved in a direct contest with the BJP, and both chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and deputy CM Shinde had addressed rallies in support of their respective candidates.

BJP workers credited the party’s stellar performance in both Ambernath and Badlapur to a last minute rally addressed by Fadanavis, wherein he announced that Metro Line 14, connecting Kanjurmarg with Badlapur, would benefit Ambernath. Fadnavis promised 15-coach local trains from Badlapur and Ambernath at a frequency of every 10 minutes to ease commuters’ woes, along with a gradual shift to fully air-conditioned local trains at existing fares. He further assured that the city’s water shortage would be resolved within two years with the completion of two dams, and highlighted improved road connectivity between Ambernath, Badlapur, and Mumbai.

Fadnavis had also campaigned for the BJP’s Ruchita Ghorpade in the neighbouring Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council. On Sunday, Ghorpade won the president’s post by defeating Shiv Sena’s Veena Mhatre.