Joining rebel MLAs ahead of municipal elections is political suicide

Uddhav Sena dominates in municipal corporation say local Sena leaders, activists

Aurangabad, July 1:

A group of 39 MLAs led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde left the Shiv Sena. Although this includes two MLAs from Aurangabad city, it will not make much difference to the politics of Aurangabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) in the near future. Activists and local leaders are not ready to join the group of rebel MLAs stating that joining their group would be political suicide.

The number of corporators elected from Sena in the 2015 municipal elections was 28. Sena was the largest party with 33 corporators with the support of five independents. After Shinde's revolt, 90 per cent former corporators from the city are still with Uddhav Thackeray. It is being speculated that 5 to 6 former corporators will join Shinde's group.

The term of the corporation expired in April 2020. Municipal elections are expected to be held in September-October. Therefore, former corporators and aspiring candidates are not ready to enter Shinde group. At present, everyone fears that going with local rebel MLAs Pradip Jaiswal and Sanjay Shirsat would be political suicide. On Thursday, Shirsat's family members celebrated after Shinde's swearing-in ceremony. But only a handful of activists were present. Jaiswal's supporters were nowhere to be seen.

Corporation dominated by Khaire and Danve

Jaiswal once dominated AMC. However, he has lost his hold on the political circle. Shirsat, a two-time corporator, never interfered in the affairs of the corporation. Now these two leaders are not in Thackeray's Sena. Therefore, most of the corporators are seen in the camp of Chandrakant Khaire and MLC Ambadas Danve. Both the leaders have a good grip on the corporation. If elections are held in the next five to six months, they will dominate the municipal corporation. Hence aspiring candidates are currently standing behind these two leaders.