NASHIK, MARCH 21: The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance, which ruled the Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) for two years, suffered a setback yesterday when its mayoral nominee, Surekha Bhosale, was defeated by the Congress candidate, Shobha Bachhav, by a margin of nine votes.In the House of 87 elected members, Bachhav secured 46 votes, while Bhosale polled 37 votes. Four votes were rendered invalid. The partywise strength in the NMC is: Congress 32, Shiv Sena 21, BJP 16, Independents 15, RPI 2 and CPM 1. Bhosale was fielded by the Shiv Sena for the mayorship.
That the Congress would lose the mayoral chair had become clear on March 15, when an Independent, Amol Jadhav, had been elected as the chairman of the civic Standing Committee with support from the Congress. The Committee comprised of six Congress members, six of the Sena-BJP combine and four Independents. Jadhav polled ten votes (six Congress and four Independents). The Congress had apparently supported his candidature in return for the support ofIndependents in the mayoral poll.
The election of Bachhav as Mayor has caused a flutter among the Sena-BJP, whose leaders suspect crossvoting by their members.
Copyright © 1999 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.