Sena alliance reaches majority mark of 114

The ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-RPI (A) alliance on Wednesday claimed it had obtained the support of independents and small parties to reach the magic figure of 114 needed to establish majority in the Mumbai civic body.

The ruling Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party-RPI (A) alliance on Wednesday claimed it had obtained the support of independents and small parties to reach the magic figure of 114 needed to establish majority in the Mumbai civic body.

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The Sena, which leads the alliance, said it will muster support of some more corporators to obtain strength of 118-120 in the 227-member house to ensure stability.

Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray had deputed two key functionaries — his personal assistant Milind Narvekar and party leader Anil Parab — to get independents and small parties on board. On Wednesday, the duo met a few independent corporators at the civic headquarters to seek their support.

They also met Geeta and Vandana Gawli, both corporators of Akhil Bharatiya Sena (ABS) led by gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli.

Mayor Shraddha Jadhav said the alliance has gathered support of 114 corporators and will try to be in the safe zone with 120 corporators on its side. The Sena-BJP-RPI has a combined strength of 107, and claims to have support of eight corporators, including independents and ABS members.

Sena also sought support of Sena-BJP and Congress-NCP rebels to shore up its numbers. Among them is Jyoti Alavani, wife of Parag Alavani, a former BJP corporator, who contested election from his home constituency in Vile Parle. She claimed that she has obtained the Sena-BJP as well as Congress votes.

“My ideology has not changed. I am still a follower of Hindu philosophy, and will support the saffron alliance, and that too without any precondition,” said Alavani.

Meanwhile, Makarand Narvekar, the only elected citizen corporator, from Colaba, and also the brother of Sena leader Rahul Narvekar, is yet to decide on support to the saffron alliance.

“I cannot decide unilaterally, and have to take consensus of our citizen forum. But if I do support them, it will be issue-based and conditional. The interest of Colaba residents will be given priority,” said Narvekar.