‘Horse-trading’, Sena (UBT) ‘betrayal’: How Cong lost Chandrapur mayoral post to BJP | India News – The Times of India

Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal (File picture)

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday warned of potential injury to its alliance with Maharashtra ally Shiv Sena (UBT), after the Uddhav Thackeray-led occasion, together with others, teamed up with the BJP, ensuing within the election of the saffron occasion’s candidate as mayor of Chandrapur Municipal Company.The improvement was a significant setback for the Congress, which was poised to win the mayor’s post however lost by only one vote.BJP corporator Sangeeta Khandekar was elected mayor, whereas Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Prashant Danav turned deputy mayor.Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal alleged “horse-buying and selling” and blamed Shiv Sena (UBT), Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM, and Prakash Ambedkar’s Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).“Within the Chandrapur mayoral election, the BJP secured 32 votes and Congress 31. The Sena (UBT) is an ally within the Maha Vikas Aghadi and the INDIA bloc. With its six corporators, the Sena (UBT) was anticipated to help the Congress. However the occasion selected to go together with the BJP. This improvement could have penalties within the state,” Sapkal advised reporters in Mumbai.“The BJP additionally gained the higher hand with the help of the AIMIM. If the VBA, with whom we had shaped a real alliance within the civic physique polls, had backed the Congress, our candidate would have received. There was horse-buying and selling,” Sapkal added.Addressing the factional feud throughout the Chandrapur Congress, he mentioned Congress corporators have been “united,” and that he had personally resolved variations amongst occasion leaders within the metropolis.“It is just as a result of of the Shiv Sena (UBT), AIMIM, and VBA that the BJP might set up its mayor,” the Maharashtra Congress chief asserted.Until Monday, alliances within the 66-member Chandrapur Municipal Company remained unclear following a fractured verdict within the January 15 polls.The Congress emerged as the most important occasion with 27 seats, whereas the BJP got here an in depth second with 23, triggering a race between the 2 rivals to type a coalition and safe the mayor and deputy mayor posts.The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT), a former BJP ally, received six seats, whereas three went to the Bharatiya Shetkari Kamgar Paksh (Janvikas Sena), two to the VBA, and one every to AIMIM, BSP, and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena, a BJP ally. Two independents additionally secured wins. The ballot outcomes have been declared on January 16.(With PTI inputs)