One Sena corporator missing on eve of mayor poll

The election for the post of Mumbai’s first citizen has been anything but smooth for the Shiv Sena.

The election for the post of Mumbai’s first citizen has been anything but smooth for the Shiv Sena.

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On Monday, a day before the voting, two women corporators from the Sena were reported missing, giving rise to rumours of defection.

The mayor is the head of the civic body, where the Sena-BJP alliance has a thin majority. While the Sena is pulling all stops to retain power in one of India’s biggest civic bodies, the Congress is trying to snatch the position with help from Narayan Rane.

Trouble began when Puneet, son of Sena corporator from Versova, Chhaya Bhanji lodged a complaint saying his mother was missing since Sunday. Later, the party found that another woman corporator, Kshitija Pujary, who represents Kandivli east, was also untraceable.

After frantic search, on Monday evening, Sena leaders located Pujary and took her to meet Bal Thackeray.

“We have no role in the disappearance,” said Rajhans Singh, Congress legislator and BMC Opposition leader.

Sena’s Shraddha Jadhav is pitted against Congress’ Priscila Kadam for the mayor’s post.