Parbhani: In a surprising turn in Maharashtra’s municipal politics, Shiv Sena (UBT) installed Sayed Iqbal as the mayor of Parbhani Municipal Corporation, marking the party’s only mayoral post across the state. The election outcome was secured with the crucial backing of the Congress, highlighting both the strengths and tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance following recent Chandrapur developments.
Parbhani, one of 29 municipal corporations that went to polls last month, has become a focus of political debate, as the Sena (UBT) chose a Muslim candidate for mayor, a move that drew sharp criticism from both the BJP and the Shiv Sena led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
In the 65-member municipal body, the Sena (UBT) emerged as the single largest party with 25 corporators, while the Congress won 12 seats. Together, the alliance commands 37 seats, comfortably crossing the majority mark of 34. The BJP secured 12 corporators and the NCP 11. Of the total, 30 corporators belong to the Muslim community, including 13 from the Sena (UBT), reflecting Parbhani’s demographic composition.
The Sena (UBT) nominated Sayed Iqbal as mayor, while the Congress chose Ganesh Deshmukh for the deputy mayor post. The alliance was forged despite speculation of internal strains in the MVA after the Sena (UBT) reportedly supported the BJP over Congress in the Chandrapur mayoral election.
State Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal defended his party’s support, saying, “While the Sena (UBT) did not honour the spirit of the alliance in Chandrapur, we chose to stand by our commitment in Parbhani. This was done to prevent the BJP from coming to power and to uphold the spirit of democracy and the Constitution.”
Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Jadhav insisted that the Parbhani outcome was never in doubt. “The developments in Chandrapur were limited to that city and do not reflect the broader alliance dynamics. We had a pre-poll alliance with the Congress in Parbhani, and we were confident of victory,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BJP sharply criticized the Sena (UBT). Party spokesperson Navnath Ban accused Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of pushing what he called “Aurangzeb’s agenda,” while Shiv Sena spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam claimed that Muslims now constitute the only remaining vote bank of the Sena (UBT), questioning the party’s broader political relevance.
The election has not only secured a key mayoral post for the Sena (UBT) but also reignited debates about identity politics, alliance loyalty, and the future of the MVA in Maharashtra’s municipal landscape.
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