The Ulhasnagar civic row over nominated corporator appointments has spread to Kalyan-Dombivli, with leaders of the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena exchanging allegations over remarks targeting Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan.
The latest confrontation followed comments by Gopal Landge, the Shinde Sena’s Kalyan district chief, who defended remarks made by Shiv Sena functionary Kamlesh Nikam against Chavan. Landge said Nikam’s claims were true and that he had evidence to support them, according to the Times of India.
Landge also accused the BJP of holding the Shiv Sena responsible for setbacks in the selection of nominated corporators in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation. He claimed that BJP candidates had been disqualified and that the party had failed to field eligible candidates, while shifting the blame to its alliance partner. The claims were made amid an ongoing dispute over the allocation of nominated corporator seats.
Defending Kalyan MP Dr Shrikant Shinde, Landge said the MP had followed the alliance’s principles and rejected criticism directed at him by BJP leaders. “Dr Shrikant Shinde has always followed the yuti dharma (alliance principles). The statements being made by BJP leaders against him are wrong,” Landge said.
Landge also claimed that Shinde had undertaken more development work as an MP than some leaders who had served as ministers and legislators. He said the MP had not discriminated against elected representatives while allocating development funds and had supported development works for all representatives.
The remarks drew a response from BJP leaders in Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation. KDMC House leader Varun Patil said Shiv Sena functionaries had no standing to comment on the state BJP president. BJP group leader Shashikant Kamble criticised Landge’s intervention and said leaders should not become involved in what he described as a petty dispute. Kamble also referred to Chavan’s political stature.
The wider dispute began after Shiv Sena mayor Ashwini Nikam announced Shiv Sena candidates for seats that fell under the BJP’s quota of nominated corporators in Ulhasnagar. The BJP subsequently approached the Bombay High Court, which stayed further proceedings related to the appointments.
The court matter is scheduled for its next hearing on October 12. Until then, the legal status of the nominated corporator appointments remains unchanged, while the political dispute has moved beyond Ulhasnagar and into the neighbouring KDMC area. The response of senior BJP and Shiv Sena leadership is now being watched as the court proceedings continue.
