CM bows to local politicos, MBMC chief transferred
Corruption prevailing in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) is common knowledge, but sudden transfers under political pressure have reduced the top civic post to a game of musical chairs.
Less then 17 months after he assumed charge as commissioner, Dr. Naresh Gite was abruptly issued the marching orders by the state government authorities.
Ironically, in a span of around six years, the MBMC has got its sixth civic chief, this time in the form of IAS officer B G Pawar whose appointment was announced on Monday.
The MBMC has witnessed several civic chief’s bowing down to the political pressure, however there are a very few who fight these adversities and come out strong, after Vikram Kumar and Suresh Kakani, Dr. Naresh Gite was one of them. Even as the BJP-led governance continued to exert pressure on him, Gite had flatly refused to dive into the pool of succumbing to the political influence.
During his tenure, Gite had crossed swords with BJP legislator Narendra Mehta who had not only complained about his autocratic style of functioning with the Chief Minister, but had also ensured that all office bearers from his party including the Mayor locked their offices and walk out of the main administrative building in protest.
However, Dr. Gite’s battle with the legislator perhaps proved to be his undoing.