Mumbai, February 19 Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal said on Thursday that a "secular front" comprising corporators from his party, those of the NCP (SP), and a group of rebel BJP corporators will ensure the alliance gets the posts of mayor and deputy mayor in the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation in neighbouring Thane district.
Addressing reporters here, Sapkal said the Congress emerged as the single largest party in the January 15 polls with 30 seats, and it has the support of 12 NCP (SP) corporators, therefore requiring support of just four more to secure a majority in the 90-member BNMC.
"The Congress has decided not to align with the BJP or the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and has not compromised on its ideological stand. Some BJP corporators have now left the party and its ideology and joined the secular front, which will enable us to elect the mayor and deputy mayor," Sapkal said.
He said Narayan Chaudhary, who has quit the BJP along with a few colleagues and formed an independent group, has extended support to the Congress-led front.
Sapkal added that discussions with like-minded parties had been going on for the past 24 days, and the deadlock has now ended.
"Party observers will be sent soon to take a final call on the mayor, deputy mayor, and standing committee posts. Keeping the BJP out of power remains the Congress' clear position," Sapkal asserted.
Bhiwandi NCP (SP) Lok Sabha MP Suresh Mhatre, also known as Balya Mama, said that efforts to form a Congress-NCP (SP) secular front had been underway for nearly 24 days.
Talks were also held with the Samajwadi Party, but it chose to side with the Shinde faction, he said.
The entry of rebel BJP corporators has now cleared the way for government formation in the civic body, Mhatre added.
In the recent election to the 90-member Bhiwandi-Nizampur civic body, the Congress emerged as the single-largest party with 30 seats, followed by the BJP (22), Shiv Sena (12), 12 by NCP (SP), Samajwadi Party (6), Patil’s KVA (4), and Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi (3). One Independent candidate also won.