After a month-long bitter war of words and the keenly contested elections to the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC), the truce finally took shape on Wednesday, on the auspicious occasion of Diwali, with the election of mayor belonging to the Shiv Sena.
Shiv Sena’s Rajendra Deolekar was elected to the post of mayor unopposed after BJP’s Rahul Damle withdrew his papers.
The deal between the Shiv Sena and the BJP was inked on Saturday night and it was executed formally on Wednesday.
“We are for development of Kalyan Dombivli...you are aware that without anyone also we would have won the post of mayor…we came together for the overall development of Kalyan Dombivli,” Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray said.
The twin cities of Kalyan-Dombivli, located nearly 50 kms away from Mumbai’s eastern suburbs, in Thane district, is a cosmopolitan locality with rich history and heritage and tremendous growth potential.
With all parties fighting elections separately to capture the 122-member corporation located in Thane district, the Shiv Sena secured 52 seats – 10 short of a simple majority of 62 – while the BJP came second with 42 seats. The Raj Thackeray-led MNS has got nine seats, the Congress 4, NCP 2, MIM 1 and 10 independents/others. In two seats, the polling were boycotted. Sixty-one was the magic figure – which none of the parties could garner.
According to the power-sharing formula, the Sena will get the mayor's post for four years, while BJP will get it for one year. The Sena will have its mayor for the first two-and-a-half years. The BJP will then hold it for one year. The post will go to the Sena again for one-and-a- half years.
Published 11 November 2015, 19:29 IST