Thane: Caught in tug of war between Sena-BJP, Civic Chief Sanjeev Jaiswal wants to quit

TMC municipal commissioner’s announcement to seek a transfer in Tuesday’s general body meeting has sent shock waves among Thane citizens. To show their undivided support to the civic chief they have planned a citizens’ rally. 

It is the third year of Sanjeev Jaiswal as TMC (Thane municipal corporation) chief and he has managed to win hearts with his relentless good work for the betterment of Thanekars.  Hence, when a frustrated and tired Jaiswal announced on February 20 that he wants to quit as civic chief as he was tired of non-stop defamation from a group of BJP corporators, residents were taken aback.

“This is very sad and an entire city is mourning after we heard this.  Even after a person is doing good work and is targeted then it is very sad,” says Kasber Augustine, president, Thane citizens forum (TCF) which has over 700 big housing complexes as its members.  “Jaiswal sir has gone out of his way to solve citizens’ issues and he has become like our family member,” he adds.

Another resident Rene Varghese says that it is awful that an able administrator like Jaiswal is being bullied.  “He has led from the front to remove encroachment and illegal hawkers and have towards increasing Thane’s green cover.  He should be retained with special intervention from the CMs office with a strong message to those who are trying to distract the commissioner, that they should not meddle,” he adds.

Hence, the TCF plans to stage a peace rally to offer solidarity to Jaiswal.  “This rally will not be political and will be in the interest of the citizens.  If the government wants development then they should support him now.  It is time chief minister Devendra Fadnavis intervenes,” he says. 

TCF has also started a petition 'don’t change Jaiswal’ since January this year and has received 1 lac signatures till now.  “We plan to meet the CM next week and give him the petition with a request to let continue Jaiswal” he adds.

According to TMC sources, Jaiswal is caught in a tug of war between the ruling Shiv Sena and the BJP (Bhartiya Janata Party).  Since Jaiswal took over as TMC chief he has mooted a lot of mega projects which are in the phase of execution/implementation now.  For instance, the Inland water transport (IWT) system which connects Kalyan-Thane-Mira-road-Bhayander. 

“The BJP fears that Sena will get the benefit of all this in the election and will once again come to power.  Hence, a handful of BJP corporators led by a senior political leader in the city has started this exercise to malign Jaiswal,” he says.

In the past few months, Jaiswal had to face criticism in the form of a fake allegation made by his domestic maid of harassment, various public interest litigations (PILs) in the high court (HC) which were quashed.  “If I am not doing my work or I do time pass they can criticise that.  But criticising me for non-administrative work is not done,” says an angry Jaiswal.