Boost for Islam Party? BJP, Congress corporators form joint front ahead of Malegaon mayor poll

Mumbai: In a rare move, corporators of ideological rivals, the BJP and Congress, have formed a new front ahead of the election of the mayor and deputy mayor in the Malegaon Municipal Corporation, a move that can potentially tilt power equations, sources said.

Three corporators of Congress and two from the BJP have constituted an independent group named the 'Bharat Vikas Aghadi', a move that has the potential to alter the arithmetic of power in the 84-member civic body, where no single party is in a position to easily secure a majority.

The new front will be led by Congress councillor Ejaz Beg, according to sources.

Although the results of the Malegaon civic polls have been declared, the election of the mayor and deputy mayor is yet to take place.

With the ruling dispensation still to be decided, hectic political manoeuvring is underway across party lines. Against this backdrop, the Congress and the BJP, which have been locked in sharp political combat, have decided to set aside differences to act jointly in the civic body, sources added.

The Islam Party has emerged as the single largest party with 35 seats, followed by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) with 21, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena with 18, the Samajwadi Party with five, the Congress with three and the BJP with two.

Despite its numerical strength, the Islam Party will require support from other parties to clinch the mayor's post.

The mayor's position has been reserved for a woman from the general category, adding to the suspense over who will eventually take charge of the civic body.

Political circles are abuzz with speculation that Islam Party chief and former MLA Asif Shaikh will take the final call on the party's nominee, with his sister-in-law Nasreen Shaikh being seen as a strong contender.

As per rules, a special meeting of the corporation must be convened within eight to 12 days of the reservation notification to elect the mayor and deputy mayor.

The emergence of the Congress-BJP combine has also fuelled speculation that the Islam Party could receive indirect support in the crucial vote, particularly in the election of the deputy mayor.

The AIMIM has won 125 seats in 13 of the state's 29 municipal corporations, including 21 in Malegaon.

AIMIM leader and former MP Imtiaz Jaleel has claimed that Shiv Sena leader and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde had sought the party's support in some municipal corporations, including Malegaon.

Jaleel said AIMIM conveyed at the local level that it would not align with the BJP or the Shiv Sena. He asserted that the party would not, under any circumstances, support Shinde's faction in Malegaon.

After the results of civic polls were declared last month, the local unit of the BJP, in a surprise move, allied with arch rivals Congress and AIMIM in Ambernath and Akot municipal councils, respectively.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had said such arrangements were not approved by the BJP leadership and violated discipline.