Retaining the mayor's post would be a major challenge for Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is active after the party took a drubbing in the assembly polls.
As Mumbai readies to elect its second consecutive woman mayor tomorrow, all eyes are on the six corporators of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), whose chief Raj Thackeray is not leaving any opportunity to hurt Shiv Sena, which is in power in the civic body.
"The decision on whom to support or abstain during the voting would be taken by Raj saheb," MNS spokesperson Shishir Shinde told PTI.
"Four MLAs of MNS have been suspended from assembly for four years for assaulting SP MLA Abu Azmi and its `cooperation' may lead to the ruling alliance softening its stance on the duration of the suspension," a Congress leader said.
Congress has fielded Presila Kadam against Shiv Sena-BJP candidate Shraddha Jadhav for the mayor's post. For the deputy mayor’s post, the contest will be between BJP corporator Shailaja Girkar and NCP’s Vidya Chavan.
Congress is banking on support of corporators from the Akhil Bhartiya Sena and disgruntled Sena corporators who were denied a ticket for the Assembly elections. In the 228-member House, Shiv Sena has 81 corporators, BJP 29, Akhil Bharatiya Sena 2, and three Independents.
Congress has 77, Nationalist Congress Party 14, Samajwadi Party 7, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena 6 and RPI three. Retaining the mayor's post would be a major challenge for Sena chief Bal Thackeray, who is active after the party took a drubbing in the assembly polls. The party has held the mayor's post for over a decade.
Even if MNS were to support Congress, it would work in Sena's favour as Azmi has said that if Congress seeks MNS support, his party would not align with Congress.
Congress strategy is to make some corporators from the Sena-BJP camp abstain from voting, the leader said. Revenue minister Narayan Rane's camp has already held talks with two corporators from the Arun Gawli-led Akhil Bhartiya Sena, both of whom are part of the saffron alliance.
The city is set to get a woman mayor for the second time in a row, with the mayoral post of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation being reserved for women in the open category. There are 89 women corporators at present. The mayoral term is for two-and-a-half years and Shiv Sena’s Shubha Raul presently holds the post.
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