The Maharashtra Navni-rman Sena got its first mayor in Maharashtra after its candidate Raghunath Wagh defeated Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s Tanaji Jaibhave in the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC).
However, the Nashik mayoral election result left the Shiv Sena bitter about its alliance partner BJP, which had helped the MNS win the election.
In the 122-member Nashik Municipal Corpo-ration House, the MNS had emerged as the single largest party by winning 40 seats. They needed some other party’s support to win the election and that support came from the BJP (14 seats) and Jan Surajya Party (two seats). Mr Wagh polled 56 votes and was elected despite not crossing the majority mark, as the Congress (15 corporators), NCP (20 corporators) and five Independents did not participate in voting, while the Shiv Sena (19 corporators) staged a walkout at the time of voting.
Reacting to the election result, MNS chief Raj Thackeray said, “People saw Shiv sena’s true colours. They accepted the BJP’s alliance with the Muslim League in Nagpur, but they did not like the BJP supporting my party. Their efforts to thwart our victory were on till the election day.”
“We have been alliance partners for the last 24 years. Even in this election we had filled forms for the posts of mayor and deputy mayor together. But the BJP ditched us at the last moment, we did not expect this from them,” said Sena leader Arvin Sawant.
BJP’s Girish Mahajan said that both the parties had fought separately in Nashik, and the MNS had the right on the mayor’s post as it emerged as the single largest party.