BJP corporators at war with civic chief in MBMC, Mayor threatens boycott

The cold war between the BJP-led Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) and civic chief Dr Naresh Gite has taken an ugly turn. The simmering tension burst out into the open after MBMC Mayor Dimple Mehta and legislator Narendra Mehta organised a press conference on Friday and openly spewed venom against the Municipal Commissioner expressing discontent with his autocratic style of functioning which was posing a disastrous and negative effect on the all-round development of the twin city.

“Apart from his deliberate ignorance of the mushrooming illegal constructions and virtually no control over disobedient, corrupt and abusive officers, the commissioner is always conspicuous by his absence not only in public ceremonies but also in important inter-department meetings. Moreover, crucial subjects like paying rents to beneficiaries of the BSUP scheme have remained on the back burner despite several reminders,” alleged Mehta who has set November 20 as the deadline for the commissioner to fall in line and initiate rectification measures failing which none of the 61 BJP corporators including her will not step into the MBMC headquarters as a mark of protest.

Refuting the charges leveled against him as baseless and misleading, Gite said, “In the capacity as the administrative head of the civic body, I have been relentlessly working for the all-round development of the city. Apart from initiating massive demolition drives to end illegalities and widening roads and squares, some which were never taken up in the past 20 years, several incomplete projects have seen the light of the day. I am here to work for the city and not to act as a robot of politicians.”

It has been alleged that the crackdown on unauthorised buildings including the recent demolition of a structure at construction site in Mira Road is the cause of all conflict between Gite and the ruling BJP.

61 BJP corporators including the mayor threaten not to step into MBMC building after November 20 if civic chief Naresh Gite doesn’t acquiesce to their demands. It has been alleged that the crackdown on unauthorised buildings including the recent demolition of a structure at a construction site in Mira Road is the cause of all conflict between Gite and the ruling BJP.