Thane: Despite being in power together at both the state level and within the local administration, the alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) hit a turbulent patch on Monday. The very first general body meeting of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) since the recent elections was marred by heated verbal exchanges and a dramatic standoff between the two ruling partners.
Highlights of the Session
The meeting initially began on a cordial note. Key appointments were announced:
Hanumant Jagdale (Shiv Sena – Shinde faction) was appointed as the Leader of the House.
Ashraf (Shanu) Pathan (NCP – Sharad Pawar faction) was named the Leader of the Opposition.
The proceedings commenced with the formal introduction of new corporators and administrative officers. However, the amicable atmosphere was short-lived as a dispute erupted over the meeting’s agenda.
The Source of Conflict
The friction began when BJP corporators Mrunal Pendse and Namrata Koli, along with NCP (Sharad Pawar) corporator Sudhir Bhagat, demanded that questions regarding the administrative performance of the last three years be addressed. They insisted on reading out “calling attention” motions before proceeding with the official business of the day.
The administration, however, bypassed these requests and attempted to start the formal agenda (Vishay Patrika). This move was met with stiff resistance from the BJP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP group. Sharmila Pimplolkar (presiding) directed that the agenda move forward, suggesting that questions would be taken up after committees were formed. This decision further incensed the BJP members.
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Unprecedented Standoff: Deputy Mayor vs. Ruling Party
In a rare turn of events, Deputy Mayor Krishna Patil (BJP) took a stand against the administration and his own alliance partners. Observing that BJP corporators were not being allowed to speak and that tn Secretary Manish Joshi continued reading the agenda despite protests, Patil descended from the dais in anger.
Patil confronted the Shinde-led Shiv Sena corporators directly on the floor, leading to a fierce verbal altercation. While the Deputy Mayor challenged the “Shiledars” (loyalists) of the Shinde faction, corporators from the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction) and MIM reportedly remained silent observers of the chaos.
”A system where some corporators are allowed to speak while others are silenced will not be tolerated. If necessary, I will vacate the dais and work from among the corporators to expose the irregularities of the past three years,” Patil warned.
Meeting Conclusion
The chaos reached a peak as three women corporators approached the dais to physically stop the Secretary from reading the agenda. Despite the uproar and slogans shouted by BJP members against the administration and the ruling power, the administration pushed through the agenda, concluded with the National Anthem, and adjourned the meeting.
This incident marks a significant rift in the “Mahayuti” alliance within Thane, ending the nearly four-year period of administrator-led rule on a note of political instability.
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