Interim relief for corporators who defected from the MNS

In what is just an interim relief for the six Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) corporators who defected to Shiv Sena last year, their motion hearing was postponed on Monday. This happened after the Konkan Division Commissioner Jagadish Patil was absent for the hearing for the third consecutive time and has not resumed office for six straight days.

In October last year, Dilip Lande, Archana Bhalerao, Snehal More, Datta Narvankar, Parashuram Kadam and Ashwini Matekar, six out of the total seven corporators of the Raj Thackerayled MNS, had defected to the Shiv Sena, supposedly for better prospects.

MNS functionaries have said the Konkan Commissioner is a puppet of the Chief Minister. "The Konkan Commissioner had to complete the hearing in 90 days but they still have not. If they are not able to come to a conclusion, they should be removed from the authority," said Sandeep Deshpande, MNS spokesperson and excorporator. The motion hearing of six corporators, who defected from MNS to Shiv Sena last year, was postponed on Monday. This happened after the Konkan Division Commissioner Jagadish Patil was absent for the hearing for the third consecutive time.

He also said that using commissioners like this for Palghar by-poll elections is killing the democracy. Political observers have also stated it is a pressure tactic of BJP to tighten screws on the Shiv Sena on the run up to Palghar Lok Sabha by-poll. "They purposely chose May 14 as the date to pressurise Sena cadres," said a Sena member.

Meanwhile, Anil Parab, Member of Legislative Council, Shiv Sena, said, "We have no idea whether he has gone for a holiday. But even if he has, he must have informed seniors about it. Everyone has the right to take holidays."

With MNS six councillors and with the support of three independent corporators, Sena’s strength has increased from 84 to 93.