Now BJP demands Mayor's post in Mumbai

Buoyed by its success in recent Mumbai civic polls, Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday demanded it be given at least one term of the Mayor's post in Brihanmumai Municipal Corporation.

In the recently-concluded civic polls, Shiv Sena-BJP-RPI combine emerged as the biggest group to rule the Mumbai civic body. Shiv Sena, BJP and RPI had bagged 75, 32 and one seats respectively. This is Shiv Sena-BJP combine's fourth consecutive term and so far Mayor's post had gone to Sena.

"We want equal share in power. We got 62,000 more votes compared to last time and our share of votes increased by 18 per cent. Hence, we must get one term of Mayoral post and standing committee chairmanship (in BMC)," Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Vinod Tawde said at a party's 'victory' meet to celebrate its performance as it won 31 out of the 63 seats it had contested.

State BJP chief Sudhir Mungantiwar endorsed Tawde's view saying it was a demand of the party workers and the state leadership would pursue the matter during negotiations with Shiv Sena.

Tawde said that because of RPI, BJP has benefitted in 15 to 16 wards. "RPI should also be given important share in power," he said.

He added political pundits had written off BJP and predicted that Shiv Sena may lose the civic polls due to BJP's poor show.  "But we have proved every one wrong," he said.

Party general secretary in-charge of Maharashtra M Venkaiah Naidu felicitated the winning corporators and also the party's losing candidates, as well as the office-bearers.

Criticising chief minister Prithviraj Chavan's comments that Sena-BJP would be taught a lesson in the elections, both the leaders said people of Mumbai had shown Congress the door because of its "arrogance of power".

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