Shiv Sena stumps NCP in ward 54 by- election

VASHI: Shiv Sena candidate Vitthal More scored a remarkable win over his opposing candidate Vijaya Thakur of the Nationalist Congress Party in the by- election in ward 54 of Vashi, held on Sunday. The byelection was held following More quitting the NCP and resigning as the corporator of the area.

More, who secured 1,572 votes, defeated Thakur by a margin of 358 votes. Thakur got 1,214 votes while Eknath Dukhande of the Congress got 109 votes. A total of 2,895 votes were cast in the election in the ward which had 6,725 voters.

The by- election saw the emergence of as a strong Shiv Sena leader of the region winning against the ruling party candidate. Political circles are already taking about him being a Shiv Sena candidate for the assembly elections.

There were reports of a tacit understanding between the Congress and the Shiv Sena for the by-election, though both the parties denied it. Following his victory, More and other Shiv Sena leaders met local Congress leaders at Congress Bhavan in Vashi.

“I had resigned over the issue of corruption. The people of my ward obviously liked my decision and have hence voted for me and against corruption,” said More. “This is a victory for democracy and ward 54 of Vashi has given a lesson in democracy for all. It has shown the way forward and how we can work.”

The NCP has accepted the defeat as the people’s verdict. “We humbly accept the decision of the people of the ward and thank all those who voted for us,” said NCP’s city working president Shashikant Birajdar.

BACHCHAN KUMAR