Nashikites sent home 30 sitting corporators, of the rank of opposition leader, Standing Committee chairman, group leaders and many others, to push MNS to the top.
Nashikites sent home 30 sitting corporators, of the rank of opposition leader, Standing Committee chairman, group leaders and many others, to push Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) to the top slot in the civic polls held earlier on Thursday. The MNS victory climb was marked by gulal, drumbeats and fire-crackers even as the results were being declared a day later on Friday.
Sudhakar Badgujar and his wife Harsha of the Shiv Sena were the first ones to claim lead and a winning position. Shiv Sena went on to quickly bag a few seats initially. Meanwhile, MNS and Shiv Sena kept their scoreboard moving with Congress scoring occasional seats. As expected, the BJP and the Shiv Sena then slowed down leaving the turf open for MNS.
Having emerged as the single largest party in any municipality for the first time, MNS holds the key to the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC). While the voters seem to have reflected their disappointment in their leaders’ ability to conduct the affairs of the corporation, MNS will need to cobble together carefully a ruling combine that will ensure stability. If it seeks the Shiv Sena-BJP’s support, it will still have the mayoral seat to itself. Sena refusal to share power here will lead to a difficult situation. Also, NCP and Congress will also need outside support to rule the corporation, even as the small number of winning Independents do not offer much hope for anyone.
Though Raj’s charisma working in Nashik was expected, his only public meeting wherein he openly challenged the Bhujbals turned the tide completely, attracting many votes towards him. Experts see the verdict as a lesson taught to the Shiv Sena-BJP’s 10-year rule as well as for the Bhujbals. MNS surged ahead, translating the pre-poll enthusiasm into votes. Also, many of the party’s women candidates registered a win, though defeat of Sharvari Luth from ward 22 came as a surprise.
Among the 30 sitting corporators who were shown the door are big names like Congress’s Hemlata Patil, Mamta Patil, rebel Sena candidate Ranjeet Nagarkar, Sena’s Prashant Avhad, Ashok Gavali, Madhuri Khairnar and Sena’s father-daughter duo of Bhagwan and Reema Bhoge.
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