Shiv Sena man elected Aurangabad Mayor; deputy mayor from BJP

Shiv Sena's Trimbak Tupe was on Wednesday elected Aurangabad mayor and BJP's Pramod Rathod deputy mayor, with the ruling alliance in Maharashtra reaching a power sharing formula in the largest civic body in Marathwada.

Shiv Sena's Trimbak Tupe was on Wednesday elected Aurangabad mayor and BJP's Pramod Rathod deputy mayor, with the ruling alliance in Maharashtra reaching a power sharing formula in the largest civic body in Marathwada.

BJP, which had put up a candidate for the mayoral poll after initial talks between the two parties did not yield a 'satisfactory' solution for power sharing, pulled out of the mayoral race.

Tupe bagged 71 votes in the house of 113 members, defeating dalit corporator Gangadhar Dhage of MIM, who polled 26 votes. Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), which has 5 corporators in the civic body, backed Tupe.Congress candidate Afsar Khan got 13 votes.

Tupe, who became the 20th Mayor of Aurangabad, said his priorities will be to provide clean water, good roads and improve sanitation in the city.

Rathod who join BJP three months, got 70 votes for the deputy mayor's post, defeating MIM's Feroz Khan who secured 26 votes. Congress candidate Bhausaheb Jagtap got 13 votes.

There were reports that both the parties have reached an understanding on power sharing in the civic body.

Sena has 29 and BJP 22 corporators in the Aurangabad civic body.