Cong courts Uddhav in Chandrapur, Sena bargains hard

Thackeray will extend his support only if the Sena (UBT) is given the post of mayor and chairperson of the all-important Standing Committee by rotation

MUMBAI: Desperate to secure a majority in the Chandrapur civic body, the Congress on Tuesday approached Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, seeking his party’s support – a move that could also cost the Congress dear.

Cong courts Uddhav in Chandrapur, Sena bargains hard

Thackeray will extend his support only if the Sena (UBT) is given the post of mayor and chairperson of the all-important Standing Committee by rotation.

The Congress has emerged as the single largest party in the Chandrapur municipal election with 27 seats in the 66-seat civic body, but is 7 short of a majority. The Sena (UBT), with xxx seats, will play a crucial role in the power dynamics here as there are other players vying for control. The BJP has won 23 seats, the Peasants and Workers Party 3 seats, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi 2 seats, the Shiv Sena, AIMIM and Bahujan Samaj Party one seat each, plus two independents.

On Tuesday, when senior Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar, who controls the party in Chandrapur district, met Thackeray at his Bandra residence, he was surprised to find a proposal put forward before him. Thackeray not only sought an equal share in the civic body but imposed other conditions as well, i.e. the Congress could choose a mayoral candidate only after taking the Sena (UBT) into confidence.

“Uddhav ji asked to share the mayor as well as Standing Committee chief’s positions. He also said their local leader Sandeep Gire would have to be taken into confidence before deciding a name for the mayor’s post. If we accepted these conditions, he said he would be willing to force an alliance,” Wadettiwar said.

Wadettiwar said the conditions would need the approval of the state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal.

Meanwhile, in the Parbhani Municipal Corporation, the Congress and Sena (UBT) find the tables turned. While the Sena (UBT) has emerged as the single largest party with 25 seats, it needs the support of the Congress (12 seats), to secure control, where 33 seats in the majority mark.