In his first meeting with BJP corporators, In-charge Mihir Kotecha sought their opinion about Narendra Mehta. However, according to sources, BJP doesn’t want to repeat ‘Ulhasnagar’ as it has lost mayoral, deputy mayor and standing committee post due to the rebellious nature of its corporators.
Bhartiya Janata Party MLA from Mulund, Mihir Kotecha has replaced with MLA Ravindra Chavan as Mira Bhayandar in charge for BJP. The development came after many BJP corporators seem to be dissatisfied with the working style of Chavan and told that he works on the instruction of former MLA Narendra Mehta.
BJP, which has lost the post of Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Standing Committee Chairperson although having the majority in the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC), is afraid of repeating ‘Ulhasnagar’ after seeing the groups and internal conflicts in Mira Bhayandar BJP against former MLA. MLA Ravindra Chavan, who is in charge of Ulhasnagar, is also in charge of Mira Bhayandar. However, former MLA Narendra Mehta has resigned from the party in February this year.
Despite, he quit politics, one section of BJP corporators alleged that he interferes in day-to-day affairs of the party and MBMC. With his this attitude, many BJP corporators have sharpened their stance against Mehta.
In his first meeting as an in-charge, Mihir Kotecha discussed with 55 corporators one to one and got their views at GCC Club in Mira Road. On Tuesday, he met 55 out of 61 corporators from 5 pm till post-midnight. Kotecha called each corporator and asked their problems and teams. However, neither Mehta nor Chavan present in the meeting.
Meeting divides into three groups
In an eight hours meeting, Kotecha marked both pro-Mehta and anti-Mehta corporators. According to sources, “Pro Mehta group said that because of him, BJP has registered huge success in the MBMC election. Whereas, the anti-Mehta group counted his interference and criminal cases on him which brings bad name for the party. They said, because of this, BJP has lost the assembly election here.”
However, neutral corporators were in favour of ‘early settlement’ of the dispute, so they can work in their wards. Nevertheless, there are less than two years for the corporation elections.
Open revolts against Mehta
BJP’s District President Hemant Mhatre himself along with many senior BJP corporators has opened a front against Mehta. ‘Mehta Hatao, BJP or Shahar Bachao’ slogan surfaced on social media.
Recently, these corporators have openly revolted against Mehta and met BJP’s state president Chandrakant Patil. When the latter has visited Keshav Srushti in Bhayandar. Former Standing Committee Chairman and BJP Corporator Adv. Ravi Vyas met former NCP MLA Gilbert Mendonca is also ‘talk of the town’. His closeness to Mendonca could bring new political equation in the twin city, opined political analyst.
Significantly, new generation leaders like Dhiraj Mishra – IT Cell Convenor, Ranvir Bajpai – Spokesperson, corporators like Manoj Dubey, Sachin Mhatre, Dinesh Jain, Anand Manjrekar, Rupali Modi Shinde blindly follow Mehta. Old guards like Rohidas Patil, Hemant Mhatre, Dr Suresh Yeole, Bhagwan Kaushik, Om Prakash Garodia, corporators like Adv. Ravi Vyas, Daroga Pandey, Madan Singh, Chandrakant Vaity have openly revolted against Mehta. According to sources, Chavan, for his support to Mehta, has to lose the post as an in-charge of Mira Bhayandar.
