A delegation of corporators, led by Gaikwad and deputy mayor Mahadeo Babar, today called on Chief Minister Narayan Rane who was in the city and made several complaints against Bhatia. Rane, who was non-committal over the entire issue, gave a patient hearing to the delegation for about half an hour.

Later, talking to media persons, Gaikwad launched a blistering attack on Bhatia saying that he would not tolerate ``any humiliation and dishonour to the corporators.''

It all began this morning when Bhatia communicated his inability to attend a meeting convened by mayor. Gaikwad said he had telephonically informed the municipal commissioner's office about the meeting scheduled at 11.30 in his office. He said his office later also gave a letter to Bhatia's office about the meeting.

The mayor, however, received a message from Bhatia just when the meeting was about to start that he would be unable to attend the meeting. An angry mayor immediately dashed off a letter to Bhatia expressing his displeasure.

All the office-bearers including the mayor, the deputy and standing committee chairman Arun Dhimdhime, leader of the house Chandrakant Chhajed and leader of the opposition Datta Sagare later called on Chief Minister and complained against the commissioner's style of functioning.

Gaikwad took strong objection to Bhatia's ``unilateral announcements on policy decisions.'' He said all the development works had come to a standstill during the past one month. He alleged that the municipal commissioner kept the officers busy for entire day in various meetings while the routine administrative work remained neglected.

``Tension has been simmering between corporators and the administration because of Bhatia,'' Gaikwad said and added that Bhatia announced several vital decisions including regularisation of illegal constructions in merged villages and pay revision of civic employees without holdingany consultations with the corporators.

The mayor said Bhatia was expected to execute various decisions and not to make announcements without discussing them with various bodies of the corporators.

To a question on Bhatia's proposal on making major changes in the civic budget, Gaikwad he would not allow any deduction in budgetary provision for the roads.

``The entire exercise of budget making, which take not less than six months, would go waste if Bhatia's proposal was accepted,'' Gaikwad said adding that standing committee had already told the administration to explore other ways to raise the funds for the works, suggested by the municipal commissioner.

He also questioned the propriety of Bhatia's decision on filing a writ petition about hospital waste against the State Government.

Gaikwad said he has been receiving complaints from the corporators against Bhatia and announced that he would never tolerate corporators' humiliation.