Uddhav's Sena-UBT helps BJP clinch Chandrapur mayor post

BJP's Sangeeta Khandekar clinched the Chandrapur mayor's position with crucial support from Shiv Sena-UBT, thwarting Congress's bid despite them holding the most seats in the municipal corporation.

Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points

BJP's Sangeeta Khandekar elected as the new mayor of Chandrapur Municipal Corporation.
Shiv Sena-UBT supported the BJP candidate, leading to a setback for the Congress party.
Congress emerged as the largest party in the civic body with 27 seats but failed to secure the mayor's post.
The election outcome highlights the shifting political dynamics and alliance formations in Chandrapur.
Prashant Danav of Shiv Sena-UBT was elected as the deputy mayor.

The Congress, which was poised to get its mayor in the Chandrapur Municipal Corporation, faced a setback on Tuesday after Bharatiya Janata Party corporator Sangeeta Khandekar was elected to the post with the support of Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray.

Shiv Sena-UBT corporator Prashant Danav was elected the deputy mayor.

Till Monday, there was no clarity on alliances in the civic body following a fractured verdict in the January 15 polls.

The Congress emerged as the largest party with 27 seats in the 66-member civic body, while the BJP came close second with 23, prompting a race between the two parties to cobble a coalition to get the coveted mayor and deputy mayor posts.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT had managed six seats, three for the Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh (Janvikas Sena), two for the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi, one each for the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen, the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Shiv Sena.

Two independents also won the polls, the results of which were declared on January 16.

Sources had on Monday stated that talks between the Congress and the Shiv Sena-UBT did not yield a solution, while Janvikas Sena leader Pappu Deshmukh said his party would provide support to the Congress.

Nominations for the post of mayor were filed by Manasvi Sandeep Girhe of the Shiv Sena-UBT, Sangeeta Mangal Bhoyar, Sangeeta Gopalakrishna Amritkar, Sunanda Dilip Dhobe and Vaishali Ajay Mahadule of the Congress, as well as BJP's Sangeeta Rajendra Khandekar and Sarika Sachin Sandurkar.

According to sources, BJP's Khandekar edged out her nearest rival by one vote to clinch the mayor's post with support from the Shiv Sena-UBT.

Six nominations had been filed for the post of deputy mayor, including two each from the BJP and Congress, one from Bharatiya Shetkari Kamghar Paksh (Janvikas Sena) and one from an independent.