MBMC staffers caught in political tug-of-war

BHAYANDAR: Thanks to the ongoing ego-war between their respective legislators, the local BJP and Shiv Sena units of the twincity seem to be slipping to a new low with every passing day. And caught in their bitter tussle are none other than the employees attached to the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC). A week after exchanging tirades for over the issue of fiddling Local Area Development (LAD) funds, BJP legislator Narendra Mehta and his Sena counterpart Pratap Sarnaik got entangled in an ugly spat in full public view in an industrial area of Hatkesh in Kashimira where the demolition squad had gone to raze constructions as apart of their ongoing road widening process on Monday. Seeking time for the unit owners to shift their machinery and compensaton for their losses, Sarnaik and his supporters had vehemently opposed the demolition drive initiated by the civic administration on the behest of Mehta. The war of words took an ugly turn when MBMC officer Dadasaheb Khetre was allegedly abused and manhandled by the irate supporters owing their allegiance to Sarnaik. Stones were also pelted at the demolition squad. However, thanks to the timely intervention of the police a major clash was averted. While Sarnaik alleged that Mehta was pursuing his personal interests to extract money from a local builder, Mehta retaliated by saying that he was concentrating on the larger interest of the entire population by enhancing the road network. As a fall out of the incident, MBMC employees under the aegis of the BJP affiliated Shramik Genral Kamgaar Sanghatna went on a flash strike on Tuesday to register their protest and demanding penal action against the assailants. Consequently, public transport buses stayed-off the roads and work in most of the civic departments came to a virtual standstill. Sarnaik and Mehta represent their parties in the Ovala-Majiawada and Mira Bhayandar assembly segments respectively.