With the aim of securing a majority in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the Shiv Sena is now reportedly offering plum posts to the Independents and ensuring their support in return. Positions like memberships of standing and improvement committee or chairmanship of other civic committees are on the table to be bartered for backing.
In the 227-member BMC house, the Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI alliance’s attempts to secure an absolute majority fell short by just six seats.
The Sena leaders on Saturday started approaching the Independents for the support. However, they are wary of the demands put up by Independents for plum posts in the civic body. Group leader Sunil Prabhu said, “We are in touch with the Independent candidates and discussions are on with them. We are hopeful of reaching the 118 figure.”
In the last elections, the alliance had to take the support of two corporators from Akhil Bhartiya Sena (ABS) led by gangster-turned-politician Arun Gawli, citizen candidate Adolf D’Souza and other Independents, but they had to offer posts like standing and improvement committee memberships in exchange.
This year too, they are banking on ABS candidates Geeta Gawli and Vandana Gawli, who retained their seats successfully, citizen candidate Makarand Narvekar, who was elected from ward no. 227 and BJP rebel Jyoti Alavani, who won from ward no. 80 in Vile Parle.
However, Mr Narvekar told this newspaper, “The decision to support the Sena-BJP combine will be taken not only by me, but also the citizens forum, who fielded me as a candidate. It’s not a question about asking for a plum post, but ensuring civic development. The independent corporator faces several problems in getting work done on his own, so he has to seek support from the ruling combine for this.”