Mumbai: In a setback for Shiv Sena (UBT), corporator Deepak Sawant lost his seat after the District Caste Scrutiny Committee declared his caste certificate invalid. Mayor Ritu Tawde formally announced the disqualification in the BMC House on Thursday. The development has reduced the Shiv Sena (UBT)'s strength in the corporation from 65 to 64 corporators.
Sawant was elected from the OBC-reserved Ward No. 111 in Bhandup's S Ward. After his caste certificate was invalidated by the scrutiny committee, the civic house formally declared his disqualification. BJP's Sarika Pawar, who finished second in the election and has challenged the matter in court, could now emerge as the frontrunner to claim the seat. The disqualification of Sawant is not an isolated case, with several corporators having lost their seats in the past after caste scrutiny committees invalidated their caste certificates.
A similar case involves Shameer Ramzan Patel of AIMIM, elected from the OBC-reserved Ward No. 137 in Govandi. While the Ahilyanagar District Caste Scrutiny Committee invalidated his caste certificate, the proposed cancellation of his membership was stayed after he obtained interim relief from a court, allowing him to continue as a corporator for now.
Meanwhile, amid the ongoing speculation over dissent within Shiv Sena (UBT), the absence of first-time corporator Rajool Sanjay Patil from the BMC's General Body meetings on June 17 and 18 has sparked fresh political chatter. Rajool, daughter of Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Dina Patil, was given a ticket from Bhandup despite resistance from local party workers, while former ShivSena (UBT) corporator Anisha Mazgaonkar was denied nomination. Her absence has now become a subject of intense discussion amid rumours of unrest within the party.
