Congress, BJP corporators join hands in Malegaon ahead of mayoral election

In an unusual political development corporators from longtime rivals Congress and the BJP have come together in Malegaon Municipal Corporation ahead of the mayoral and deputy mayoral elections a move that could significantly alter the balance of power in the civic body sources told PTIThree Congress corporators and two from the BJP have formed an independent bloc named Bharat Vikas Aghadi positioning themselves as potential kingmakers in the 84member corporation where no party commands a clear majority According to sources Congress councillor Ejaz Beg will head the newly formed group reported PTIMayor deputy mayor yet to be elected behindthescenes talks intensifyWhile results of the Malegaon municipal elections are already out the mayor and deputy mayor are yet to be elected keeping political negotiations in full swing With the ruling combination still uncertain behindthescenes discussions and crossparty talks have intensifiedDespite sharp ideological differences at the state and national levels Congress and BJP leaders at the civic level have chosen to collaborate setting aside rivalry to act collectively in the corporation sources addedIslam Party largest but short of majority needs allies for mayorrsquos postThe Islam Party has emerged as the single largest party with 35 seats followed by the AIMIM with 21 the Eknath Shindeled Shiv Sena with 18 the Samajwadi Party with five Congress with three seats and the BJP with two However the Islam Party will need backing from other groups to secure the mayorrsquos postMayorrsquos post reserved for woman Nasreen Shaikh frontrunnerAdding to the political suspense the mayorrsquos position has been reserved for a woman from the general category Political circles suggest that Islam Party chief and former MLA Asif Shaikh is expected to take the final decision on the partyrsquos candidate with his sisterinlaw Nasreen Shaikh considered a frontrunnerAs per civic rules a special meeting of the corporation must be convened within eight to twelve days of the reservation announcement to elect the mayor and deputy mayorAIMIM rules out alliance BJPrsquos past local tieups spark controversyThe emergence of the CongressBJP bloc has also triggered speculation that the Islam Party could receive indirect support during the voting process particularly in the election of the deputy mayorMeanwhile the AIMIM has secured 125 seats across 13 of Maharashtrarsquos 29 municipal corporations including 21 in Malegaon AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel claimed that Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had sought his partyrsquos support in several civic bodies including Malegaon reported PTIJaleel said AIMIM had clearly conveyed at the local level that it would not align with either the BJP or Shiv Sena and asserted that the party would not support Shindersquos faction in Malegaon under any circumstances reported PTINotably following the declaration of civic poll results last month BJPrsquos local units forged surprise alliances with Congress and AIMIM in Ambernath and Akot municipal councils respectively Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later said such tieups were unauthorised and violated party disciplineWith inputs from PTI