Shiv Sena’s Meenakshi Shinde elected Thane Mayor unopposed after BJP, NCP withdraw nominations

Two weeks after the civic body elections, Shiv Sena candidate Meenakshi Shinde was elected the new Mayor of Thane. Shinde was elected unopposed on Monday.

With 67 seats, Shiv Sena had bagged a majority in the recently concluded 2017 Thane Municipal Corporation elections. Rivals Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) had won 23 and 34 seats respectively, out of the total 131.

Last week, Sena nominated Meenakshi Shinde for the post of Mayor and fielded Ramakant Madhavi for the post of Deputy Mayor.

NCP, meanwhile, fielded Asrin Raut and Arti Gaikwad for the posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor and BJP nominated Ashadevi Singh for the Mayor’s post and Mukesh Mokashi for the position of Deputy Mayor.

Just before the Mayoral poll, however, both BJP and NCP candidates withdrew their nominations, paving way for Shinde’s unopposed election as Mayor. Madhavi too got elected Deputy Mayor.

Sena is also set to appoint the Mayor of Mumbai after the BJP changed its stance and decided to support its alliance partner in the Mayoral poll.

Congress has also fielded a candidate for Mumbai’s Mayor post, although their election is highly unlikely as Sena and BJP together control over 170 seats out of the 227-member BMC. The election for BMC’s Mayor post will be held on March 8.

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