Taking serious note of a rebellion within the party ranks, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has suspended two women corporators from the party.
Taking serious note of a rebellion within the party ranks, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has suspended two women corporators from the party. Both the corporators — Geeta Chavan and Sukhada Pawar — are from Santa Cruz area.
In a letter sent to the mayor, civic chief and municipal secretary department, MNS group leader Sandeep Deshpande stated that Ms Chavan and Ms Pawar had been stripped of their primary membership of the party as well as from the post of party corporator. “They have been accused of not obeying orders from the high command and group leader, anti-party activities, not following party discipline, among others. We have also demanded their disqualification under the municipal anti-defection law,” said Mr Deshpande.
Both the corporators had openly revolted against the party in the ward committee elections held last week. Ms Chavan had joined Shiv Sena last week and also contested the election for the chairperson of the H-East and H-west ward committee with the Sena’s backing. She failed to win after the winner was decided on lottery.
The MNS had directed its corporators to vote for a Congress candidate in the election. However, defying the whip, Ms Pawar had voted for Ms Chavan.
With the suspension, the MNS party strength in the BMC has come down to 25. Ever since the rout in Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, the party has been besieged with defections all across the state.
Hemant Godse, MNS leader from Nashik, had quit the party just before the Lok Sabha elections to join Shiv Sena and was elected to Parliament with a thumping victory. Similarly, party MLA Ram Kadam had joined BJP before the Vidhan Sabha elections and was also elected to the Assembly.
Three former MLAs – Pravin Darekar, Vasant Geete and Ramesh Patil – too bid adieu to the party and joined the BJP.
