Twenty-one municipal councils in Satara, Sangli and Kolhapur will be hit by the decision. These are Satara, Karad, Wai, Mahabaleshwar, Panchgani, Rahimatpur, Mhaswad, Phaltan (Satara district), Ashta, Vite, Tasgaon, Islampur (Sangli district), Ichalkaranji, Kurundwad, Jaysingpur, Kagal, Murgud, Gadhinglaj, Panhala,Pethvadgaon and Malkapur (Kolhapur district). Presidents of all these municipal councils are likely to hold meetings at their respective districts to plan a strategy.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Rajiv Avale, president of the Ichalkaranji Municipal Council, the richest in the State, said the decision was purely aimed at appeasement of merchants and traders. ``Our municipal council has a budget of Rs 42 crores, out which Rs 20 crores is the income from octroi collection. The State Government's decision will deprive us of the most promising income source, '' he said.

President of the Kolhapur District Municipal Council's association and of the Gadhinglaj Municipal Council, Bapusaheb Mhetry, said that the State Government's decision will reduce all C-class municipal councils in the State to the status of gram panchayats.

Out of total budget of Rs 3 crores, Gadhinglaj Municipal Council earns Rs 1.10 crore by way of octroi income, said Mhetry. He said that he has faxed a protest letter to CM Rane. ``Ihave urged him to withdraw the decision at once,'' he added. A similar step has been initiated by Karnataka which had a disasterous effect on such councils, said Mhetry. He has called a meeting of presidents of all nine municipal councils from Kolhapur on March 25. In Sangli district, Bhagwanrao Patil, president of Islampur Municipal Council, has decided to join with three of his counterparts from Ashta, Vite and Tasgaon, to take action against it.

In Sangli district, Bhagwanrao Patil, president of Islampur Council, has decided to join with three other counterparts from Ashta, Vite and Tasgaon, to take action against it.

A similar step has been initiated by the Karnataka Government, informed Mhetry. However, it has had a disastrous effect on municipal councils.``We learnt from our counterparts in Karnataka that salaries of municipal employees are pending for nearly three months. Besides, the State Government grant is also not disbursed on time,''he said.

Mhetry has called a meeting of presidents ofall nine municipal councils from Kolhapur on March 25. ``We will meet at Jaysingpur to chalk out strategy of agitation. Presidents will also be urged to take up the issue at their respective party level,'' he said.

Meanwhile, in Sangli district, Bhagwanrao Patil, president of Islampur Municipal Council, has decided to join with three other counterparts from Ashta, Vite and Tasgaon, to take action against it.

Congress has a total hold in all four municipal councils of Sangli. Patil said that he will meet the other three presidents in a couple of days and make a representation to district Congress leadership.``We will request the leaders to take up the issue and plan an agitation,'' he explained.