(FILE PHOTO) 10 Kalamb councillors, including 9 from Shiv Sena (UBT), join BJP; Kalamb municipal council left without opposition
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar : The Shiv Sena (UBT) has decided to initiate legal proceedings seeking the disqualification of 13 councillors and four panchayat samiti members in Dharashiv district who switched allegiance after being elected on the party’s mashaal (flaming torch) symbol. The development is set to trigger unrest among the 13 councillors who crossed over—nine from Kalamb and four from Dharashiv.
Speaking to reporters in Dharashiv, Patil said the councillors and panchayat samiti members had secured their mandates on a Shiv Sena (UBT) ticket and the mashaal symbol. If there is a delay in reaching a decision, we will move the high court to seek a time-bound ruling,” Patil said. He said the party would seek legal recourse against those who had betrayed the party, its workers, and ordinary voters by switching sides to the BJP after being elected on the Sena (UBT) symbol. Nimbalkar claimed that MP Omraje Nimbalkar and BJP leader Rana Jagjitsinh Patil were behind the defections and accused them of creating a “market” for councillors.
He added that if the collector fails to decide on the matter within the stipulated timeframe, the party will approach the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court and, if necessary, the Supreme Court. Following the defections, the party convened a meeting attended by Patil and party observers, where workers expressed strong resentment and resolved to pursue disqualification proceedings. He noted that the party is currently consulting lawyers regarding the legal provisions applicable to these cases. “We are discussing the matter with legal experts and will initiate appropriate action at the earliest. We will initially approach the collector. He argued that those elected on the mashaal symbol should resign before joining another party and seek a fresh mandate from the people.
Dharashiv Sena (UBT) MLA Kailas Patil stated on Friday that the party would first approach the Dharashiv collector to seek the disqualification of these elected representatives.