In a significant development, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal on Thursday, December 29, sealed offices of all political parties at headquarter in south Mumbai.
This development came a day after the two Shiv Sena factions – Uddhav Thackery and Eknath Shinde – indulged in a face off over the control of party office on Wednesday evening, December 28.
The civic body chief said all political parties’ offices has been sealed on instructions of the police.
For those unversed, the BMC provides offices spaces to political parties that has elected corporators.
However, in an unusual situation, despite the term of corporators ended in March and the election for the next terms are yet to be announced.
Even then, the civic body had allowed the political parties to use the office (allocated earlier). But the clash between two factions of the Shiv Sena on Wednesday forced the BMC to change its decision.
What led to sealing of offices?
Tensions prevailed for an hour on the premises till police intervened. The confrontation took place after North Central Mumbai MP Rahul Shewale, former standing committee chairman Yashwant Jadhav and former corporator Sheetal Mhatre, all belonging to the Shinde-led Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena, entered the party office around 5 pm.
Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) faction's former corporators including Ashish Chemburkar and Sachin Padwal objected to their presence, leading to heated exchanges, sources said. Tension prevailed for nearly an hour with workers from both sides shouting slogans before the police stepped in and removed everyone from the office.
Both factions claimed that there was no attempt by any side to stake claim to the party office, contrary to some reports.
The civic headquarters has offices of all major political parties on the ground floor of the heritage building. Shewale told PTI that they had not gone to stake any claim over the party office but were in the BMC building to meet the municipal commissioner.
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