Bhayandar: Ridden with factions, two power centres in BJP are competing against each other to gain control over the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC). The abrupt adjournment of the general body meet after condoling the demise of veteran actor Shriram Lagoo, former panchayat samithi chief Krishnarao Mhatre and former municipal corporator Asif Patel have indicated the impending perception battle of who controls MBMC -- the sitting BJP legislator Geeta Jain or Narendra Mehta.
Despite tasting defeat in the assembly polls, former BJP legislator Narendra Mehta appears desperate to continue calling the shots in the day-to-day affairs of the civic body. The ongoing tug-of-war has adversely affected MBMC's functioning, as several important issues, including formation of the standing committee that remained pending for the past two months, were again kept on hold due to the adjournment. It has been alleged that the meeting was scheduled on such a date (December 20) on which Jain, who is also a corporator, was busy attending the winter session of the legislature.
However, with the intervention of top BJP leadership, it was ensured that the meeting was kept on hold, sources said. On the virtue of BJP’s majority, Mehta had tightened his stranglehold over MBMC. After her victory, Jain was re-inducted into the BJP fold, which has become a major cause of worry for Mehta. Apart from the upcoming standing committee and other panel elections, the mayoral term also comes to an end in February 2020.
Political analysts believe that due to the current political scenario in the state, Jain will soon be in the driving seat, thus rekindling hopes of senior leaders like five-time corporator Morris Rodrigues and Omprakash Garodia who were sidelined and deprived of rightful posts in the party and MBMC.
