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BJP Rebel Stuns Party, Wins Bhiwandi Mayor Post With Congress Support

In a major political upset, BJP rebel candidate Narayan Chaudhary was elected Mayor of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation with 48 votes, defeating the official BJP candidate. The Congress party secured the Deputy Mayor's post as its candidate, Tariq Momin, won with 43 votes. The election was marked by high drama, including the defection of six BJP corporators to support Chaudhary in alliance with the Congress and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction). Technical disqualifications and an absent independent candidate further shaped the unexpected outcome, altering the civic body's power dynamics.

Key Points: BJP Rebel Wins Bhiwandi Mayor, Congress Gains Power

  • BJP rebel wins mayoral race
  • Congress secures Deputy Mayor post
  • Six BJP corporators defect
  • Alliances shift in dramatic vote
3 min read

Political twist in Bhiwandi: BJP rebel candidate Narayan Chaudhary elected Mayor

In a dramatic twist, BJP rebel Narayan Chaudhary is elected Mayor of Bhiwandi with Congress & NCP support, as six BJP corporators defect.

"The defection of the six BJP corporators proved to be the 'X-factor' in the election. - Report"

Bhiwandi, Feb 20

Dramatic developments took place on Friday during the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections of the Bhiwandi-Nizampur City Municipal Corporation. Outmanoeuvring the BJP, the Congress party has seized power in the Municipal Corporation with the support of rebel BJP corporators. While BJP rebel candidate Narayan Chaudhary was elected Mayor, Congress candidate Tariq Momin won the Deputy Mayor's post with a majority.

The Presiding Officer and Thane District Collector, Shrikrishna Panchal, officially announced their victory. Narayan Chaudhary (BJP rebel) got 48 votes, Vilas Patil (Konark Vikas Aghadi) 25 votes and Sneha Mehul Patil (official BJP candidate) bagged just 16 votes.

The election for the Deputy Mayor's post saw a triangular contest in which Tariq Momin (Congress) won by bagging 43 votes, Javed Dalvi (Shiv Sena-Shinde Faction) got 25 votes and Suhas Nakate (BJP) 21 votes.

With this victory, the Congress has once again proved its strength in Bhiwandi.

The election witnessed high-voltage drama from the start. Shinde's Shiv Sena withdrew both its candidates, Balaram Chaudhary and Suchita Rupesh Mhatre, to extend support to Vilas R. Patil, the former Mayor and leader of the Konark Vikas Aghadi. However, this move failed to consolidate enough power to stop Narayan Chaudhary.

In a surprising development, six BJP corporators broke ranks to support Chaudhary, joining forces with the Congress and the NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) to ensure his win. The mayoral race ultimately became a three-way contest.

Eventually Narayan Chaudhary got 48 votes, Vilas R Patil bagged 25 and Sneha Mehul Patil got 16 votes.

Earlier, several candidates had filed nominations, including Mayuresh Vilas Patil, Pratibha Patil, Javed Dalvi, and Tariq Momin.

At the beginning of the deputy mayoral election, Mayuresh Patil of the Konark Vikas Aghadi suffered a major setback. Socialist Party corporator Shabana Ansari had signed as a 'proposer' on Mayuresh Patil's application and as a 'seconder' on Javed Dalvi's application.

Since the same person took a role for two different candidates, Mayuresh Patil's application was declared invalid during the scrutiny process, leaving Javed Dalvi in the race.

In the Deputy Mayor election, the Congress candidate Momin received 43 votes, while the BJP candidate Nakate got 21. This indicates that 5 votes that went to Chaudhary shifted back to the BJP for the Deputy Mayor's post.

Another dramatic turn was the absence of Independent candidate Nitesh Enkar. Although Enkar had registered his support for Vilas Patil (Konark-Shinde Sena group), he remained absent on the day of voting, sparking political discussions regarding his stance.

Today's elections to the mayoral and deputy mayor posts were marked by shifting alliances, technical disqualifications, and unexpected absences, significantly altering the power dynamics within the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation.

The defection of the six BJP corporators proved to be the 'X-factor' in the election. Their decision to back a rebel candidate over the party's official nominee, Sneha Patil, handed Narayan Chaudhary an unexpected and commanding lead, allowing him to claim the mayoral seat.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Wow, such a political thriller! 🤯 From last-minute withdrawals to invalid nominations and absent candidates... it's better than any web series. Congratulations to Narayan Chaudhary and Tariq Momin. But ultimately, we citizens just want good roads, water, and cleanliness. Please focus on that.
A
Aditya G
Good to see the Congress making a comeback in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. This shows that in local body elections, development work and local connect matter more than national narratives. The rebel win proves that corporators listen to their constituents' voices on the ground.
M
Michael C
As an observer, the technical disqualification of Mayuresh Patil's nomination is fascinating. Such a simple procedural error changed the entire equation for Deputy Mayor. It highlights the importance of following the rulebook to the letter in democratic processes.
P
Priya S
While the drama is entertaining, I have a respectful criticism. This constant defection and alliance-shifting makes a mockery of the voter's mandate. People voted for BJP corporators, not for them to join hands with Congress later. This instability isn't good for long-term civic planning.
K
Karthik V
Bhiwandi needs stable leadership. The power loom industry is struggling, and infrastructure is a major issue. Hope this new Mayor-Deputy Mayor combo, though from technically rival parties, can set aside politics and work together for the city. All the best to them! 🙏

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