Bhiwandi-Nizampur Civic Body to See Muslim Mayor, Hindu Deputy in Secular Front's Power-Sharing Deal
In a significant political development for the Bhiwandi-Nizampur Municipal Corporation, the newly formed Bhiwandi Secular Front has proposed a power-sharing pact that will see a Muslim mayor and a Hindu deputy mayor. This arrangement has been firmly asserted by the Congress party, which leads the alliance. The move is aimed at fostering communal harmony and ensuring a secular administration in the civic body.
Alliance Claims Clear Majority in 90-Member Corporation
The Bhiwandi Secular Front, comprising the Congress, NCP (SP), and Samajwadi Party, has claimed a decisive majority in the 90-member municipal corporation. According to the poll results, Congress secured 30 seats, NCP (SP) won 12 seats, and Samajwadi Party garnered six seats, bringing the alliance's total to 48 seats. In contrast, the BJP managed to secure 22 seats, Shiv Sena obtained 12 seats, while Konark Vikas Aghadi and Bhiwandi Vikas Aghadi each won four seats.
Congress to Nominate Mayor, Discussions on Key Posts Underway
Abdul Tahir Momin, Congress's district president and chairman of the front, stated that since his party holds the highest number of corporators, the mayor will be chosen from Congress. He emphasized that discussions among alliance partners are ongoing to decide the distribution of other crucial posts within the municipal corporation. Momin also dismissed any speculation that some winning candidates were in contact with rival parties, reaffirming the alliance's unity.
Grassroots Coordination and Secular Values Drive Electoral Success
Leaders of the alliance attributed their strong electoral performance to coordinated efforts at the grassroots level. Samajwadi Party MLA Rais Shaikh played a pivotal role in mobilizing support and ensuring the election of a maximum number of corporators from his party, Congress, and NCP (SP). Shaikh highlighted that the primary objective behind forming the front was to establish a civic administration guided by secular values, which would take charge of the municipal corporation and serve all communities impartially.
BJP Aims to Form Alternative Alliance for Majority
Meanwhile, the BJP has claimed that it will muster the numbers required to achieve a majority in the corporation. Ravikant Sawant, BJP's Bhiwandi president, revealed that the party is actively working on forming an alliance with Shiv Sena's 12 corporators and one Independent. This would increase their tally to 35 seats, and they hope to secure additional support from other members to challenge the Secular Front's majority.
The political landscape in Bhiwandi-Nizampur remains dynamic as both alliances strategize to secure control over the municipal corporation, with the Secular Front's power-sharing pact setting a precedent for inclusive governance.
