Sena retains Thane Mayor seat as NCP boycotts poll

The party-wise strengths had left the Opposition with little chance of defeating the Shiv Sena: cross-voting would have been the only window.

The Opposition objected,without success,to a resolution to fix the Mayor’s tenure at two-and-a-half years. Mulla argued that the last Mayor’s term had been extended by three months due to the Assembly elections and it was understood that the extended period would be adjusted against the tenure of the next Mayor. This would have meant that Mayor Vaity’s tenure would be three months shorter than the general body’s. When the ruling Sena went ahead with the resolution,Mulla stood up to announce that the Opposition would boycott the polls.

Vaity polled 63 votes and Mulla one – to the astonishment of all,including the Opposition. The sole vote was from NCP corporator Sudhir Barge,who is close to Sena MLA Pratap Sarnaik and who had voted on the grounds that he was complying with the party whip of voting for the party candidate and that the party had not issued a whip to boycott the polls or abstain. Later,NCP corporator Ashok Raul stood up to announce the latest whip to abstain.

Thane district collector Abhasaheb Jarhad said the returning officer ruled that the Opposition had abstained as none of them had left the civic House.