MUMBAI, March 16: For the first time elections to eight posts in the 16-member standing committee of Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) will be held on March 19. The mayoral poll for the year-old corporation is scheduled for April 4.The civic polls will be the first test for the Shiv Sena-BJP combine after the drubbing it received in the recent parliamentary polls.
The membership of the eight had lapsed following the drawing of lots last week which was necessitated since it is the first annual election for the panel. The outgoing members include Rajinder Singh Bhullar, Pandarinath Waringhe, Ramesh Chauhan (all Shiv Sena); Narendra Rajani, Seema Mokal (BJP) and Jaya Sadhwani, Indu Bhatija (Cong). The break-up of remaining members is Ulhasnagar Peoples Party (UPP) - 4, Cong-1, Shiv Sena-1, BJP-1, Independent-1.
While camps within the alliance partners are pointing fingers at each other for the debacle in the parliamentary poll, the BJP has already begun negotiating with the UPP for a possible tie-up.Observers feel that even if the factions within the BJP and Sena settle their differences, the UPP-Cong-RPI-Independent front could spoil the alliance's chances for the standing committee poll. The nominations were filed on March 12 while the date for withdrawal of candidature is March 18.
Meanwhile, the three names that are doing the rounds as likely candidates for the mayorship (reserved for women) are Bharati Rajani (BJP), Yashaswini Naik (Shiv Sena) and Jyoti Kalani (UPP). The break-up for the 64-member House is as follows: Shiv Sena - 17, UPP - 14, Congress - 13, BJP - 13, RPI - 7, Indep - 5.
Observers stated that there are possibilities of cross voting in the mayoral polls and charges of horse-trading are being made. According to a well-placed source, while a vote for the mayoral poll fetches Rs 50,000, it is nearly four-times more the standing panel poll.
When the Sena and the BJP formed the alliance at the UMC it was decided that for five consecutive years it will be a Sena mayor and thestanding committee chairman's post will be held by a BJP man.
However, failure by the Gopal Rajwani and Chandrakant Bodare factions in the Sena to resolve their differences may well see Bharati Rajani in the mayoral chair. A source points out, "Some sainiks are working hard to help her just to spite Gopal Rajwani."
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
