Sena manages to wean away Sattar, but losses post in A’bad ZP, in Beed sister Pankaja concedes defeat

Mumbai: Amidst high drama and dramatic turn of events that unfolded on Saturday afternoon, although the Shiv Sena managed to wean away its sulking Minister of State Abdul Sattar from resigning, it however had to abdicate the throne of president in Aurangabad Zilla Parishad (ZP) to the Congress, all this despite the fact that the Sena was one member more than the Congress. The delay in communicating the deal brokered in Mumbai back in Aurangabad, cost the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) the deputy presidents post which was wrested by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

In the brother-sister political feud in Beed Zilla Parishad, Pankaja Munde (BJP) had conceded defeat to her estranged cousin brother, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Minister for Social Justice, Dhananjay Munde, even before the actual voting was to take place for the election of president and deputy president. This is the second major setback to Pankaja Munde after she lost badly to her estranged brother in the October 2019 Assembly elections. Here the results of the election will be announced only after January 13, as per the directive of the Aurangabad bench of Bombay High Court.

High drama continued in the Aurangabad ZP as the held over meeting was continued by the administration today. In the voting that was held both Meenatai Shelke (Congress) and her Independent rival, Sena rebel Devyani Dhongaonkar polled identical 30 votes each. The vote tie-breaker was held wherein a school boy was called to pick up a chit and it was of the name of Meenatai Shelke. Predictably, sources disclosed that supporters of Dongaonkar have immediately filed a Writ Petition in the Aruangabad bench of Bombay High Court challenging the poll result.

Sources in the Sena disclosed that although the party managed to convince Sattar to lower his banner of revolt, it was late in communicating the decision to its leaders on the ground in Aurangabad civic body. The end result was that a Sena corporator turned up late for the vote and had to stay out of the civic hall where the poll process was being conducted.

But what was even more embarrassing was that BJP’s Lahanu Gaikwad wrested the deputy presidents post polling 32 votes, defeating his nearest Congress rival Shubhangi Kaje who polled 28 votes. Here the poll results were announced keeping in line with the High Court order.

Speaking to newspersons senior Sena MLA, Arjun Khotkar dismissed reports in the media that minister Abdul Sattar was unhappy over the rank and portfolio being allocated to him. Dismissing reports of Sattar tendering his resignation, he added that Sattar would meet Sena president and Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray at his Matoshri residence on January 5.

Senior Sena leader Sanjay Raut when asked for his comments termed Sattar as an ‘outsider’ to the Sena culture and added that it would take Sattar sometime to get used to Sena style. However, former Sena Lok Sabha MP from Aurangabad, Chandrakant Khaire termed Sattar as a ‘traitor’ and urged Shivsainik’s not to allow Sattar climb the steps of Matoshri.

Meanwhile, in Beed ZP elections, NCP’s Shivkanya Shivaji Shirsat and Bajrang Sonawane wrested the president and deputy presidents post’s from the BJP. The election results were not announced due to the High Court order restraining the civic authorities from declaring the results till January 13. However, sources in the NCP disclosed that the NCP candidate’s had polled 32 votes.

Whereas, the defeated BJP candidate Yogini Thorat contesting for the presidents post had managed to poll just 21 votes. Sources in the NCP further disclosed that MVA vote bank comprised of NCP’s 23 votes, Sena 4 and Congress 3. Whereas, 2 BJP corporators cross-voted in favor of the NCP candidates.

The result of this election was not declared due the pending litigation in the HC which was filed two and half years ago wherein corporators loyal to then NCP leaders Suresh Dhas and Jaydutt Kshirsagar had cross-voted in favor of the BJP. The case is pending final order.