Bhiwandi, Feb 16: The political equations within the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation have taken a dramatic turn ahead of the mayoral elections, with allies in the Mahayuti contesting separately for the top two posts.
While the BJP and the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) had fought the civic elections together, both parties have now fielded their own candidates for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts, signalling visible cracks in the alliance at the local level.
On Monday, a total of nine corporators filed nominations for the Mayor’s post, while six corporators submitted their papers for Deputy Mayor at the civic headquarters before Municipal Secretary Ajay Patil. Interestingly, several aspirants filed nominations for both posts. The final picture, however, will become clear only after the withdrawal of nominations.
10 nominations for Mayor
For the Mayor’s post, prominent names include Konark Vikas Aghadi chief and former Mayor Vilas Patil, his wife Pratibha Patil, and their son Adv. Mayuresh Patil. From the Shinde Sena camp, Balaram Chaudhary and Suchita Mhatre (wife of former MLA Rupesh Mhatre) have entered the fray.
The Congress has fielded Tariq Momin, while the BJP has nominated Ratan Chaudhary and Sneha Patil. Former Mayor and Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi chief Javed Dalvi has also filed his nomination.
Notably, BJP’s Ratan Chaudhary submitted two sets of nomination papers, taking the total number of nominations for the Mayor’s post to 10.
7 nominations for Deputy Mayor
For the Deputy Mayor’s post, Shinde Sena has fielded Asmita Naik, while the Congress has nominated Tariq Momin. The BJP has given candidature to Suhas Nakate.
From Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi, Javed Dalvi has filed his nomination, while the Samajwadi Party has nominated Arib Shaikh. Konark Vikas Aghadi’s Adv. Mayuresh Patil is also in the race. Dalvi filed two sets of nomination papers, pushing the total number of nominations for Deputy Mayor to seven.
Mahayuti allies drift apart
The nominations have made it evident that despite contesting the civic elections together under the Mahayuti banner, the BJP and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena have chosen separate paths in the mayoral contest. Both parties have officially fielded their own candidates for Mayor and Deputy Mayor, underlining shifting political alignments within the corporation.
Adding another layer to the political dynamics, Javed Dalvi publicly declared his support for the Shinde Sena, stating that he filed nominations for both posts under the guidance of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. He claimed that corporators from Shiv Sena Shinde, Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi, Konark Vikas Aghadi and the Samajwadi Party are together.
Meanwhile, Congress district president Abdul Rashid Tahir Momin asserted that the Congress, along with the NCP SP and its allies, has the backing of 54 corporators.
With multiple candidates in the fray and alliances shifting ahead of voting day, the stage is set for a high-stakes contest in the Bhiwandi civic body. The final outcome will depend largely on last-minute negotiations and the withdrawal process, which could significantly alter the electoral arithmetic.
Court allows Vilas Patil to file mayoral nomination under strict conditions
Bhiwandi court has granted conditional permission to former Mayor Vilas Patil, chief of Konark Vikas Aghadi, to file his nomination for the Mayor’s post in the Bhiwandi Nizampur Municipal Corporation. Patil was recently arrested by the Economic Offences Wing in an alleged cheating case and has been remanded to police custody till February 18.
As February 16 was the last date to submit nominations for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor elections, Patil moved the court seeking permission to file his papers. The court allowed his plea, observing that filing a nomination is a constitutional right.
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He filed his nomination under heavy police security. The court directed that Patil must not speak to the media, use any electronic devices, contact anyone outside the EOW office or disturb law and order. He has also been asked to bear the security expenses.
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