Although the leadership of the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction)–BJP grand alliance maintains that all is well, tensions between the two parties are evident at the local level. In Ward 173 of the Sion-Koliwada area, a BJP worker has accused a former Shiv Sena (Shinde) corporator of carrying out substandard footpath construction work. An audio clip shared by this BJP worker on social media has sparked controversy, as it directly names the former corporator responsible for the project.
Ward 173 in Sion-Koliwada has been at the center of political friction due to multiple contenders from both the Shiv Sena (Shinde) and BJP. With the ward now reserved for women from the general category, the political aspirations of former corporators have been disrupted. Ramdas Kamble, a former corporator who joined the Shinde faction, had hoped to contest again but is now attempting to secure a ticket for his wife. Similarly, BJP worker Datta Keluskar, also interested in the ward, is trying to get his wife nominated.
Both Keluskar and Kamble were originally part of the undivided Shiv Sena under Uddhav Thackeray. Their longstanding rivalry is well known. Keluskar switched to the BJP after Kamble was given the ticket for the 2017 by-election. Despite being allies on paper today, their personal animosity has only intensified ahead of the upcoming municipal elections, a fact that is increasingly visible on social media.
Keluskar recently posted a video from Pratiksha Nagar showing the alleged poor quality of the ongoing footpath work. In the accompanying audio recording, he is heard telling the contractor that the work is being carried out under Ramdas Kamble’s direction. He further accuses Kamble of misusing municipal funds removing a perfectly good cement-concrete footpath and replacing it with old paving blocks. Keluskar labels this an act of public money “looting” and even taunts Kamble in Hindi, saying, “Agar achha kaam kiya hota, toh yeh sab kyun kar rahe ho?” (“If you had done good work, why are you doing this now?”)
Also Read: Shiv Sena (UBT) Candidates Switch Sides, Back BJP’s Mayoral Nominee
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