Shiv Sena's Rajendra Deolekar was elected unopposed to the post of mayor of the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation here on Wednesday
Shiv Sena's Rajendra Deolekar was elected unopposed to the post of mayor of the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation here on Wednesday.
ADVERTISEMENT
Deolekar's unopposed election was facilitated after ally Bharatiya Janata Party's candidate Rahul Damble withdrew his candidature, ending weeks of bickering between the two parties.
The development follows an understanding on power sharing terms between the two parties reached last Saturday after negotiations held by BJP minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and Shiv Sena minister Eknath Shinde.
"We are only concerned for the development of Kalyan-Dombivali region. It was clear that we would have bagged the mayor's post on our own strength. We came together only to implement the development agenda," Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray said on the occasion.
The deal envisages Shiv Sena getting the mayor's post for the first 30 months, followed by BJP for 12 months and back to the Sena for 18 months.
The other important posts like deputy mayor and standing committee chairman shall also be held on rotation on the lines of the power-share between the two parties implemented in Aurangabad.
The twin cities of Kalyan-Dombivali, located round 50 km from Mumbai has grown into a cosmopolitan region with a rich history and cultural heritage, offering tremendous potential for growth.
In last week's crucial elections to the KDMC with 122 seats, fought separately by all main parties, the Shiv Sena emerged the single largest party with 52, followed by BJP's 42, both unable to reach the magic figure of 62.
The rest of the parties scored in single digits: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena nine, Congress four, Nationalist Congress Party two, Independents and others 11, while the electorate boycotted elections in two wards.