BJP claims opposition leader post in the BMC after three years

Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar and her deputy Suhas Wadkar

The Bhartiya Janata Pary (BJP) has officially managed to part ways from Shiv Sena after two decades of partnership in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The BJP has claimed the opposition leader post in the civic body after three years of the election. The decision will be taken in the next general body meeting, said Mayor.

The BJP hadn't selected the group leader in the last ten months even after former group leader Manoj Kotak was elected as an MP from the northeast constituency. On Thursday, after a meeting with selected corporators, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Mumbai chairman of BJP and Manoj Kotak declared Vinod Mishra as a group leader and Prabhakar Shinde as a candidate for the opposition leader. Ujjwala Modak and Rita Makwana will be the deputy leader of the party in BMC. The BJP claimed the opposition leader post and gave a letter to Mumbai Mayor Kishori Pednekar.

As of today, Ravi Raja, the corporator of Congress is on the post of opposition leader. Generally, the post goes to the second-largest party which was BJP after the election in 2017. Shiv Sena and BJP fought the BMC elections separately. While Sena got 84 seats, BJP had 82 corporators.

"Despite no alliance in the election, BJP chose to sit with Sena on the ruling side. After a month, Congress claimed the post and BJP didn't oppose it in the general body meeting. So, until congress withdraws from the post, no one can take it," said an expert from the BMC. He added, even as per the act only group leader can become an opposition leader and there cannot be two separate posts.

"I received a letter from BJP regarding opposition leader post. We will take a proper decision after consultation with the law department," said Kishori Pednekar, Mumbai Mayor.

Catch up on all the latest Crime, National, International and Hatke news here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates