Shiv Sena removes former Navi Mumbai civic chief Nahata, Chougule from party after they join Shinde

Former Navi Mumbai civic chief, Vijay Nahata, and former opposition leader, Vijay Chougule, have been removed from Shiv Sena after they joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday with the support of 28 former corporators of Shiv Sena in Navi Mumbai

Deputy city leader for Shiv Sena, Vijay Nahata, and former opposition leader, Vijay Chougule, have been removed from the party after they joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday with the support of 28 former corporators of Shiv Sena in Navi Mumbai.

Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamna, on Saturday declared that former Navi Mumbai civic chief Vijay Nahata and former opposition leader Vijay Chougule have been removed from the party after they joined Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. (HT PHOTO)

Sena’s mouthpiece, Saamna, on Saturday declared that the duo had indulged in anti-party activities and hence were removed from the party.

In the 2015 NMMC elections, 38 corporators from Shiv Sena were elected, which was 22 more than the previous terms. Later, one died and one joined NCP and then nine more joined Sena, taking the total corporators to 45. Currently, 28 of them have left the party and joined the Shinde-led faction.

Nahata, former NMMC commissioner and chairman of Environment Authority, said, “To get the works of corporators done in Navi Mumbai, it is crucial to have support of the CM. As long as Shinde is a Shiv Sainik, and is a supporter of Balasaheb Thackeray, we would support him.”

Chougule, on the other hand, claimed that he had nothing to lose. “I held no important position in the party, so there is no position to lose with the ouster.”