Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A tense situation prevailed during the maiden general body (GB) meeting after the Mayor and presiding officer, Sameer Rajurkar, suspended six corporators of the Uddhav Sena and barred them from participating in the proceedings.
Corporator Pramod Rathod tabled congratulatory resolutions on various matters. These included a proposal to commend Commissioner G Sreekanth for the installation of a statue of Vasantrao Naik. Raj Wankhede demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis be congratulated for sanctioning a flyover for the city. Raju Vaidya also moved a resolution to congratulate Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister Atul Save, and the Commissioner for their administrative efforts in approving the new water supply scheme valued at ₹2,740 crore.
In response, the Uddhav Sena group leader Ganesh Lokhande and corporator Rasheed Khan Mamu proposed that former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray also be acknowledged for his contribution in the water supply scheme when its cost was Rs 1680 crore. The corporators Sachin Khaire, Savitribai Wani, Sunita Sonawane and Vaishali Korde also joined them. They claimed that Thackeray’s name is being sidelined deliberately. However, the Mayor declined the other proposal. This led the six corporators to stage a demonstration near the dais, during which they attempted to seize the Mayor’s mace, causing significant disruption and chaos in the House. Hence the Mayor invoked provisions of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act and suspended these six corporators. The security personnel then lifted Ganesh Lokhande outside the hall. Security personnel were instructed to escort them out of the chamber, following which the meeting was adjourned.
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When proceedings resumed at 3 pm, the Mayor exercised his veto power to revoke the suspension within five minutes, allowing the corporators to rejoin. Nevertheless, after being informed that their proposals would not be reconsidered, the group chose to walk out. They continued their protest outside the House, staging a silent demonstration with banners and placards registering protest against the mayor until the meeting concluded later in the evening.