Aurangabad, Sept 17:
The AIMIM which created a sensation in local politics by winning 24 seats in Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) general elections (held in 2015) seems to be losing its ground in the city. Earlier, two of its corporators left the party to join NCP. In the series, one more former corporator of Roshan Gate, Sajeda Saeed Farooqui, joined NCP on Thursday.
AIMIM entered into Marathwada's politics by winning 11 seats in Nanded Municipal Corporation (NMC) general elections in 2011. However, the same party was nowhere during NMC's election in 2016. The same pattern is likely to repeat in Aurangabad. The term of AMC body ended in April 2020 and since then an administrator has been appointed. Meanwhile, it is unpredictable when would the AMC elections would be announced due to legal issues. Earlier, the Asefiya Colony corporator Syed Mateen and later on, Baijipura's corporator Shaikh Zafar left AIMIM and joined NCP and now Sajeda Farooqui joined NCP in presence of state president Jayant Patil. The state's health minister Rajesh Tope, Abhishek Deshmukh, Sher Khan and Shivajirao Garje were present on the occasion. According to sources, few more former corporators are likely to join NCP soon.
Five independents join NCP
Five former independent corporators Jyoti Abhang, Sunita Chavan, Vijaya Bankar, Rahul Sonawane and Asha Nikalje had also joined NCP. Hence the NCP is strengthening its political position before the AMC elections.