Maharashtra State Government Amends Corporation Ward Structure, Gets Support From Congress
Mumbai, 4th August 2022: Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has shocked Uddhav Thackeray at his home ground in Mumbai. The state cabinet meeting set aside the decision taken by the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government for the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections (BMC elections) and a major decision to retain the structure of 227 wards as of 2017. The Shinde government has also amended the number of members of Mumbai and other municipal corporations.
Reportedly, Congress is very happy with this decision, with Mumbai Congress leader, Milind Deora, claiming that this decision is a win for Mumbai. Deora has also stated that the decision taken by Shiv Sena has now become history. The Congress leader also said that this strategy to deliberately target the Congress and wipe out the party in the municipal elections has failed.
Milind Deora said, “Maharashtra government has revoked the decision taken by Shiv Sena for the reorganization of Mumbai Municipal Corporation earlier this year. Due to this reorganization, Congress may have to face defeat in Mumbai. Congress also opposed it many times, but it was not paid attention to. Now the government has taken an important decision in this regard. I appreciate the Maharashtra government. The Election Commission should transparently decide the ward-wise reservation. Congress will always fight for justice, inclusivity, democracy, and good governance.”
With the amendment in the ward structure, the municipal corporation will now have 227 members instead of 236. Due to the reorganization of wards by the Mahavikas Aghadi government, the number of Municipal Corporation of Mumbai had increased to 236. The BJP, along with Congress, had objected to this reorganization. The Congress party had also filed a petition against it in court.
Congress leader Milind Deora met Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis along with some other Congress leaders in Mumbai yesterday. In this meeting, Deora expressed displeasure of the Congress over the reorganization of the wards, after which Shinde and Fadnavis immediately canceled the ward reorganization of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
When Maha Vikas Aghadi was in power in Maharashtra, there was a dispute between Shiv Sena and Congress over the issue of ward structure. Congress leaders had criticized Shiv Sena over the ward structure. Interestingly, Congress leaders had also approached the court on the issue of ward formation. Now Congress has welcomed this decision taken by the Shinde-Fadnavis government, seemingly isolating Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena in the Maha Vikas Aghadi.
